


Sleeping With The Enemy

by 1wildrose1



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 13:21:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/622622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1wildrose1/pseuds/1wildrose1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Marik didn’t lose that final duel with Yugi? Marik has succeeded with his plan to become the ultimate ruler: Pharaoh of the world! With everyone aboard the blimp under his control and every world leader brainwashed by the combined power of the three Egyptian God cards, the seven Millennium Items and the ancient power of the Pharaoh, will Marik ever be stopped?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything but this work.

 

“No!” We all watched, powerless, as Yami’s life-points hit zero. The innocent boy beside him slowly fading into nothing. “Yugi!”

“Pharaoh, you lose. Hand over Obelisk and Slifer. Oh, and don’t forget about every Millennium item that you possess!” 

Five items. _Five_. There’s no doubt that he will get to Shadi and his items soon. Yami rises, tears streaming down his face, and just hands them over, just like that.

The next few days passed like a nightmare. Marik used the ancient power of the Pharaoh to force Shadi to give up the remaining two items and used their influence to brainwash every leader in the world; world leaders and council leaders right down to criminal leaders and petty club leaders. All of them to do his bidding so that ordinary members of the public were influenced by him without even knowing it. People who realised that something was up started disappearing at the hands of the criminal underworld.

Marik then decided that the duelling blimp was the perfect place to rule over everyone – he felt like a god, hovering over the land, watching. He released everyone from the shadow realm so that everyone on board could become his servants. Ryou and Yugi were forced to become his personal slaves, where Bakura and Yami joined the rest of the unfortunates as prisoners, both given their own bodies by Marik so their torment could be more real. I, on the other hand, had to be at his side always. He found that he needed me so that he had enough strength to harness the awesome power that he had obtained. If he had destroyed me, his soul would have been split. He would have survived with his own body, yes – but he needed a whole spirit to embody the Pharaoh. He needed me close so that I wouldn’t hurt myself to rid him of his power.

And that is how the Ultimate Ruler, Pharaoh of the World, come to power.

 

* * *

 

Marik met the glare of each and every person he passed on the way to the control room and I ignored the pity on their faces when they saw me, bound and being pulled along behind him. “Malik...” I glanced up and saw Yami staring at me. “Is he okay?”

He meant Yugi of course. None of these people were concerned about me except, perhaps, my sister, Ishizu and Odeon. I can’t really blame them though. All they have known of me is evil and deceit and although they all now know that it was my brutal other half that was responsible for that behaviour, I guess it’s just hard for them to see me any other way. “He’s fine for now.”

Marik growls from a few meters ahead. “Malik!”

“Protect him. Please...”

“I’ll try.”

I follow Marik down the many straight corridors of the blimp to the main control room. Two rooms adjoin this one which used to serve as the crew’s sleeping quarters. Now, the one which was the captain’s quarters contained the seven items and the god cards and a large, silk clad bed – Marik and I’s bedroom. I, of course slept on the floor. The other, larger, room is where Yugi and Ryou are imprisoned. The control room itself was Marik’s self proclaimed throne room. 

Marik sits himself on the large pilot’s seat – his throne. He pulls me down to a painful kneel at his feet. “So, Malik...How are you enjoying the privilege of being my pet. You get to see firsthand the dawn of a new age. You’ve got to admit, it’s pretty cool.”

I glared at him. “Oh yeah – I’m _so_ privileged. I get to be a prisoner to my own soul. Amazing.”

“Aw, Makky. I thought you would enjoy being part of a new age. It was your plan originally, remember?” He’s grinning at me. Smarmy bastard.

“It was your plan, you dick. You just made me think it was mine. I know myself now and I’m not you!”

“Believe what you want. I was born out of your mind, so you must want it deep down.” He leans so close to me I can smell his stale breath. I can’t move away due to my binds. All I can do is glare at him and be repulsed by his closeness. “You want it and I’ll be sure to get you on my side. After all, to heighten my power, I need my soul to be completely whole and that can’t happen when you’re opposing me.”

“If you want to be my ally, then let me out of these binds. At least let me see the others.”

He actually seems to be considering it. He backs away from me slightly and twitches his head to the side. Finally he answers. “You know, I really do want to get along with you. So yes, I will allow you to roam around freely. Only up to the end of this sector though, and you may only see Ryou and Yugi.”

“Marik...!”

“Silence!” That aura, the ancient one that should only belong to Yami, surrounds him. I can’t even think about defying him. “It is only until I trust you. You are pathetic and weak and despite my hatred of you I need you. We are going to work together whether you want to or not. I can’t force you to do my bidding since you are basically me but I can make you accept that I am in control now. We do this my way.”

I should feel more anger towards him. I should hate him for daring to talk to me like that. Instead I feel...grateful. He didn’t have to give me an ounce of freedom but he did. He could have banished me to the shadow realm if he wanted – I would still be alive and his soul would still be as complete as it is. But I suppose he needs his soul to be truly complete and he cannot have that unless I work with him. “Okay. Thank you...I guess.”

“Hmph.” He merely grunts at me and slices the binds around me with his pocket knife – note: I did NOT know he had that. “Go see your little ‘friends’. I’m tired of you being in my company.”

I nod and head towards the room where Yugi and Ryou are. They’re crouched in the back of the room, talking in hushed tones. They stop talking instantly as I walk in and close the door behind me. “It’s Malik.”

Yugi stands in front of Ryou, protecting his friend. “W-what do you want?”

Well, that kinda hurt. I know I’m not exactly their friend but still. “I only wanted to get away from him for a while. I scored a bit of freedom. If you don’t want me here, I understand. I can just go back...”

Yugi frowns a bit. “You...got away? How?”

I shrug, not entirely sure of my Yami’s logic. “I guess he wants me to trust or something since he can’t compel me without impairing himself.”

That makes him defensive again. What’s wrong with this kid? “Now why would he want you to trust him? What purpose would you serve?”

“I don’t know, Yugi. Maybe he needs me for something.” Why am I not telling him about the power thing? I know what Marik wants me for, but I don’t want to tell him...Oh...sneaky move Marik, sneaky move. Disallowing me from telling them your secrets – I probably should have expected it.

“Oh...” He seems to accept my cluelessness. Well, there isn’t really any reason for me to keep anything from him so that’s quite predictable. “Alright.” He settles back down beside Ryou, who is still eyeing me warily. “Have you seen Yami?”

I sigh internally. Of course that’s the first thing on his mind. Yes, I’m fine thanks – I was only the personal prisoner of a psychopath for days on end, I’m okay. “Yeah, I have. He’s fine – they all are. I don’t think Marik wants to hurt anyone. He wants control more than anything so the more people he has to dictate, the happier he is.”

They both sigh with relief. “Thank you.” Ryou offers me a smile. “I guess it’s a little late to extend the hand of friendship, but you must feel so alone in this place. You don’t really know anyone and you’ve already been prejudged.”

I stare at him for a few seconds. He’s so different to his Yami, Bakura. He is gentle and kind where Bakura is rough and mean. “Thank you. That means a lot.” He smiles again.

 

* * *

 

We talked for hours. I told them about myself – the real me. Most of the time I was backtracking on myself, telling one story and then apologising to them for telling them one of Marik’s memories by mistake. Yugi looked at me with pity at times like these. Ryou looked with understanding.

Yugi kept on asking about Marik – his personality, his past, how he was born in my mind. He was trying to nit-pick a weakness. A trait, no doubt, he had learned from sharing a mind with Yami for so long. I kind of admire him for staying so determined and faithful under such dire circumstances, but he was starting to truly piss me off. Apparently, Ryou felt the same way.

“Yugi, he doesn’t need to be reminded of that right now. Let him enjoy his freedom while he has it.”

Yugi was taken aback, to say the least, but apologised anyway.

For the first time in my life, I had a real friend. Yugi had accepted me, yes, but Ryou had befriended me. And I appreciated it more than words can describe.

The conversation eventually lead to the situation at hand, as it inevitably would. Yugi started it, of course. “So, how does he plan to keep us all alive and in the air? Food and fuel will run out if we don’t land, but I doubt he’s the sort of person to consider risking that in case we all escape.”

I sighed. “I thought of that and I asked him about it a few days ago. He’s getting his brainwashed followers on the ground to send packages up via helicopters. He’s going to fly the blimp low enough for them to fly above us and drop the stuff off on the duelling platform.”

“Damn.”

Suddenly, there was a buzzing noise over the intercom and Marik’s voice carried over the room, just as it would all over the entire blimp. _“Hello, my friends. I have finally got my kingdom up and running. The entire world is under my control and soon they will know who it is who rules them. You aboard this airship are the lucky few who are to be my royal staff. Congratulations. Anything I tell you to do, you will do. If you resist, I will take your free will away. I am not a tyrant – if you want anything, you can ask Malik and he will propose the idea to me. But do not cross me. It is not beyond my powers to make you suffer a fate worse than death. This is your Pharaoh.”_ The intercom crackled out. 

“Malik! In here – now!”

I sighed and smiled at my companions. “That’s my cue.” I shook my head and stood. “Thank you for your company.”

They nodded and Ryou stood suddenly and hugged me tightly. “Uh...” The only other person who had hugged me before this had been Odeon. But that was only protection. This was comfort. This was...different. “Ryou?”

“You’ll come back here won’t you? So we know that you’re okay?” Even Yugi looked shocked at his behaviour. How could someone be so genuinely caring? To a stranger?

I really wished I could come back. “I don’t think I’ll be able to. He makes me sleep in his room. He’s kind of possessive. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Ryou backed up and nodded, still with a worried look on his face. “Okay...”

I made my way out of the room and just caught what Yugi said as he closed the door. “What the hell was that?”

 

* * *

 

“You took your time.”

“I was saying goodnight.”

“I see.” Marik eyes me suspiciously but seems to dismiss it. “I need you to clean this place up. If I want a successful throne room, these useless trinkets must go.”

“You think I’m a cleaner? Please!”

Marik sweeps across the room and slams me against the door behind me. Pain lashes through me as the handle hits my back with bone crunching force. “Careful Malik, I could get used to you moaning in pain.” He leans in close to me. “Or just moaning altogether.”

My eyes widen instantly. “What the fuck?” Did that bastard just come on to me?

“Relax, Makky. I’m just trying to show you what I’m willing to do to stop you defying me.” He releases me, and turns to leave to his room, but not before allowing his eyes to roam all over me – an act he seems to do subconsciously, because he doesn’t even smirk or anything. “Just get this shit cleaned up and then get to bed. If you fucking wake me up, you’ll regret it.”

I sink to the ground, pain numbing my mind. So much for getting along. After about ten minutes, I am able to stand and I stumble around slowly, shifting things around, shoving things into draws and stuff. I found some cleaning supplies in a small closet in one corner of the room. Hey, if I clean, I do it properly.

After everything is polished, mopped and tidied, I return the supplies in slowly open Marik’s bedroom door, trying to slip in silently.

“Don’t bother. I’m not asleep yet.”

I glance at him, surprised to hear him still awake. I don’t think I’ve ever walked in when he’s still awake – he usually is dead to the world in seconds due to the amount of energy his immense power takes up. The first night, I tried to steal away the items but the three god cards repelled me. I guess he’s protected since he acquired everything fair and square. I tried to challenge him to a duel the next night to win some back but he laughed in my face and refused the challenge. I can’t really think what else to do. “I thought you’d be asleep.”

“I did too.”

“Oh.” I slowly edge around the room to my usual spot on the floor on a large pile of blankets. It actually wasn’t uncomfortable, so I should be grateful.

“I should apologise.” I look up at him. Shocked again.

“Hmm?”

“I am trying to gain your allegiance and I will not do so if I am harming you.”

I nod warily. Does this guy really have it in his head that I’m going to join him?

“Sleep on the bed.”

“What?!” Oh you’re fucking kidding me! Does he think he’s subtle?

“You’ve been sleeping on the floor for days. By now you should be used to me and the bed is large enough for us both to have adequate and comfortable sleeping space.” I still eye him warily and he sighs. “I genuinely want you on my side. I’ve grown used to you.”

I stand carefully, still feeling the pain in my back, and step towards the bed. “You won’t try anything?” Again, he subconsciously rakes my body with his eyes. “Marik?”

“Just get in.”

Thought so. I cautiously sit on the very edge of the bed, as far away from him as possible. Ah, shit! I just realised that I’m still fully dressed! He’s usually asleep when I get changed. Oh well...I can’t sleep in these clothes – blood has already seeped down my back onto my jeans and shirt. 

I pull my shirt and jeans off, very aware of Marik and his roaming eyes, and remove my jewellery, leaving myself in just my black boxers. Great. I shift along the mattress and lay down – all the while avoiding Marik’s gaze.

“I really got you, didn’t I?” Referring to my back. 

“I haven’t seen it yet.” I feel his fingers gently touch my back and I feel sick. Everything about him makes me cringe. Just the fact that he’s trying the nice-guy act reminds me in full force what a colossal cock he actually is. Of course, I’d never say that. He’d just hurt me or one of the others in retaliation.

“I see.” He shuffles across the bed so that he’s close to, but not touching, me. “Goodnight.”

If this is going to happen, it’s going to happen on my terms. “’Night.”

If I’m going to be the object of this sicko’s lust, I’m going to get something out of it. Even if it means sleeping with the enemy.


	2. Chapter 2

He spent the entire night breathing in deeply and skimming his fingers along my back and shoulders with feather-light, barely-there touches. Naturally I spent the night refraining from cringing away and forcing myself to stay awake in case he tried anything more. He didn't, but I just had to be sure.

 

The morning couldn't come quick enough and, when it wasn't too early to be deemed suspicious, I leapt out of bed, threw on some clothes and sped out of the room, calling to him over my shoulder that I was visiting my friends.

 

“Malik!” Ryou rushed to me, grasping my shoulders, checking me over. “Are you okay?”

 

“What did he want with you?” Yes, Yugi – I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

 

“Yeah, I'm all right – my back's sore, is all.” I smiled at Ryou and hugged him, glancing up at Yugi. “He just wanted me to clean his 'Throne Room'. Guess he just wanted to throw his power in my face a bit.”

 

Yugi nodded and pursed his lips in thought. “That can't be all he wanted. Did he say anything weird? Or do anything out of the ordinary?”

 

Oh my God – does he not give up? I sighed and shrugged at him. “It's Marik. You tell me how you'd determine what's out of the ordinary and what's...Marik.”

 

“I suppose...but, still...” He leaned against the wall behind him in thought. “We've got to listen to everything he says carefully. Maybe he'll show a weakness of some kind.”

 

“You're optimistic.” Ryou said, raising his eyebrow. “We've been discussing escape plans for days and you still can't grasp the fact that it's impossible.”

 

“How is it impossible?” Yugi frowned. “If we could just get off this blimp...”

 

“Then where would you go?” I interrupted. “He controls everything on the ground as well. We're safer up here, where he thinks that he has total control.”

 

“Which he does.” Yugi pointed out. “If we got out we would at least have a bit of freedom.”

 

“If you got out he would find you and he would kill you.”

 

A tense silence followed. Yugi sat heavily on one of the beds with his head in his hands while Ryou bit his lip, awkwardly standing between the two of us.

 

“I just want to see him.”

 

He said it so quietly, I thought I had imagined it. But then he looked up, eyes shining with unshed tears. “My mind feels so...vast? I don't know...I miss him.”

 

I nodded. I got what he meant – my mind felt odd without Marik's presence, but in my case it was a good 'odd'. I was revelling in making memories that I knew were my own. But Yugi actually enjoyed the presence of Yami. They helped each other and were even friends. I couldn't imagine what he was going through now that they were separated after so long.

 

“I'm working on it.” Yugi snapped his head up in surprise. “Marik wants me to trust him, like I said yesterday. But he wants to trust me as well. If I can get him to give me a bit of freedom, maybe I can get you two a bit too.”

 

“Really?” He looked confused for some reason. As if I had some ulterior motive. Charming. “You would do that?”

 

“I can try.”

 

Ryou was smiling gently at our exchange. “Only if it's safe, Malik. Don't do anything that will get him mad at you.”

 

I had to grin at that. His genuine concern made me feel warm – I'd never known anyone to always put everyone else's feelings first. I mean, people pretend to so that they look like better people than they are. But, somehow, I knew he wasn't pretending. 

 

“He won't.” He probably would, but oh well – what's new?

 

I don't think he believed me because his head tilted slightly as his eyes bore into mine. “Promise me, Malik.”

 

I stare at him for a moment, trying to find a way to say that without actually promising not to get him angry. I drew a blank, of course.

 

“I promise, Ryou.”

 

* * *

 

“What use are they locked up in a room?” I asked him, leaning against the side of the desk he was sitting at in the throne room. “They wouldn't do any harm if they could wander about.”

 

“To visit their little friends on the lower levels I assume?”

 

“Of course – and to just give them a bit of freedom. They're going stir-crazy all cooped up in that room. I can't imagine what everyone else is going through.”

 

“You do remember that I'm the one who locked them up and that I don't actually care what they're going through?” Marik smirked at me as he played some kind of card game with himself. Huh...it's been a while since I'd seen real cards – you know, not duel monsters. Ever since I'd arrived in Domino actually. I used to play cards with myself or with Odeon down in the tunnels back home.

 

“Yes, I know.” I picked up a card that he'd missed and put it into place. “But I thought you wanted to build a new world and, with it, a new society. Every society needs a governing body – you can't manage everything on your own. You need allies to handle the day-to-day business.”

 

“I suppose.” He placed a few more cards before answering me fully. “I could just brainwash them if I want though.”

 

“Do you really want to?” 

 

“Not really.”

 

I nod and watch his solitary game for a while. “They could be your friends, you know. What use would having such power be if you are too lonely and miserable to enjoy it?”

 

His hands hesitated for just a breath over the cards and, though I didn't look, I know his face tensed. Then he was back to playing his game. “I'll have you.”

 

My stomach twinged a bit at that. Did I feel guilty for trying to manipulate Marik? I doubt it. But he thought of me as his only friend...I might have felt a _little_ bit bad...

 

“Yes, you'd have me. But you need other people too. If not as friends, as employees. People to help run the new world. You can't just keep them all brainwashed forever, so why not try to gain their trust now? Or at least allow them a little freedom.”

 

“Hmm.” He finished placing the final card, winning his own game, and looked up at me. “You are right. Perhaps...perhaps I could allow the two little ones to visit the lower levels. As long as they return to their room at night and that they report in anything out of the ordinary.”

 

“You trust them to tell you?”

 

“No.” He smiled at me – not smirked, _smiled_. “I can still brainwash them and make them tell me.”

 

I stiffened and drew back into myself. “Hmm.” Suddenly, I remembered why I shouldn't hesitate to manipulate him. He was just so determined to have power and keep it...what else was he willing to do to keep his domain? What lengths would he go to?

 

“Look, I'm sorry.” Well, that's new... I glanced up at him to make sure I wasn't imagining what he'd said. 

 

“What for?”

 

“Being who I am.” Marik chuckled lightly and leaned back in his chair, observing me. “I _was_ born out of your hate, you know.”

 

To say I was confused would be an understatement. If he was sorry for who he was, then why was he so hell-bent on gaining all of the Pharaoh's power? Before I could ask him, he answered my internal question.

 

“I'm doing this all because you wanted it.” He shook his head and sighed. “It's, like, programmed into me. You wanted this power so much, to spite the Pharaoh that caused you to be locked up, that I was born. It's in my nature and I'm not going to be able to stop, so please don't ask me.”

 

In his nature? Well, that made sense I suppose. I had never thought about why Marik had done this. It had just never crossed my mind. But now I think about it...

 

“Won't be able to? What do you mean?”

 

He shrugged and inspected his nails before he spoke – was he nervous? “Like I said, it's...programmed into my being. Asking me not to go after this power, to not be cruel, would be like asking me not to breathe, not to eat. I don't know. I just am certain that I can't stop.”

 

“Oh, I see.” I didn't really know what to do with that information. “Why are you telling me this?”

 

He looked away, packing away the playing cards on the desk. “I...just wanted you to know...it's not me. I don't want this. But I have to do it.”

 

He stood up without any further words and exited into the bedroom. 

 

I sat against the desk for what seemed like hours, Marik's parting words playing in my mind over and over again. I tried to convince myself that he was lying to me to gain my trust, but that was a feeble excuse to myself and I knew it. He bore his soul to me, just like that, and walked away. He didn't try to make me take it all in at once – he allowed me some space and time to mull it over. I didn't know what to feel. What to _think_. I knew I was expected to hate him – I mean, he was keeping all of these people prisoner; he brainwashed people to do his bidding; he did what he wanted, regardless to who got hurt in any way.

 

But he didn't want to...it was just his nature...

 

How can you blame anyone for something in their nature? Could you hate a lion for killing a gazelle?

 

I eventually gave up trying to sort out my thoughts and entered the bedroom slowly. Marik was still awake, I saw. He was laying on his side, back to the far wall, wearing nothing but his boxers. His eyes were open and watched me closely as I moved about the room, readying myself for bed. 

 

I turned away from him to remove my clothes. I'm not sure why I did. I mean, he would still see me in my underwear as I got into bed. But still...

 

I couldn't hold it off any longer than I had, so I turned towards the bed slowly and tenderly sat on the edge. I sighed and looked over my shoulder at him. He was still staring at me intently – his eyes were following the tattoos that were etched across my back. “Goodnight, Marik.”

 

Those violet eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Goodnight, Malik.”

 

We sat like that for a long moment before I laid down on my side, facing away from him. He only waited a few minutes before he began his ritual of caressing my back.

 

Was he fucking with my mind? Or did I genuinely like the feeling of his hand ghosting along my bare skin? Just last night his touch made my skin crawl. But now, in the half-light of the ruby coloured room, with the distance of a few inches and two thin pairs of boxers separating our heated bodies, his faint caress sent pleasant shivers down my spine. And I _hated_ myself for it.

 

His breath warmed my neck as he shifted himself towards my body slowly. It now smelt fresh and minty, as if he brushed his teeth just for me; as if he planned this. His rough lips brushed my jaw line gently, snaking his hand under my arm and stroking my chest. 

 

Soon, he was flush against my back, surprisingly wary of the injury that lay there. The hardness that was pressed up against my ass should have made me sick, but instead, shot fiery feelings of arousal straight to my stomach, making me bite my lip in defiant approval.

 

He'd progressed to nibbling the tender flesh behind my ear while his hand skimmed the skin of my chest in progressing circles, small in the centre, getting larger and larger, pausing to palm my nipples and finger my bellybutton. My breathing became heavier, to his obvious pleasure – biting my lip harder to hold back any further noises.

 

Subconsciously, I turned my head away and laid it on his shoulder, allowing him to attack my neck to his heart's content. Soon, his fingers were toying with the elastic on my boxers before sliding underneath and running his fingers across my length.

 

My head strained against his shoulder as a moan forced its way out through my abused lips. Encouraged, he explored my manhood fully; experimenting with the noises I made and the motions I carried out as he played with the slit and cupped the sensitive sac underneath. As he did so, he began rubbing himself against my ass with the rhythm of his stroking.

 

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't _stop_. My moans became more and more feminine as heat pooled and swirled in my stomach while I thrust into his hand. He picked up the pace as his breathing sped up.

 

All too soon, my vision blurred as I peaked, the hot coil releasing...all over his hand. He continued to grind against me until he growled in my ear and held himself still, curling around me. 

 

We stayed like that for a while. Saying nothing.

 

And then he rolled away to the other side of the bed, falling asleep within seconds. And I was left laying there soiled. Mortified at what had happened. Terrified at the fact that I had _enjoyed_ it.


	3. Chapter 3

Ryou was sitting heavily in the corner of the small hallway on one of the lower levels, knees pulled to his chin. He was just staring at me in horror. I could just see the terrible situations that could have lead to this running through his mind – his eyes were only semi-focused on my face. “Oh...um...” His lip trembled as he flung himself on me, wrapping his thin arms around my shoulders with his face in the crook of my neck. “Oh, God! That must have been so awful! Are you okay? Well, of course you're not – how could I even ask that? What I mean is: are you hurt? Physically? I don't even want to imagine...”

 

“Ryou.” He stopped babbling to look up at me – I had never realised how much taller than him I actually was; then again, I had never really been _this_ close to him for an extended period of time. “I'm fine. I don't know what it was about and, to be honest, I didn't stay long enough to find out. No, he didn't hurt me. Actually, I...” My words stuck in my mouth, trapped on the tip of my tongue. I had almost told him that I had _enjoyed_ it – something that I could never tell anyone, not even Ryou, who I was fast becoming very attached to. He had been so genuinely kind for as long as I had known him, but I think that knowing that I hadn't done all I could to stop an evil dictator – though I was still deciding whether or not Marik was really all that evil – from molesting me would be pushing his good nature a step too far. No, _that_ part of the story was my own secret to keep. “Uh...actually, I just feel like he's trying something new to throw me off balance.”

 

Ryou, frowned up at me, clearly sensing that I wasn't telling him the whole truth. “Malik?” He rested his chin against my chest, staring straight into my eyes, willing me to trust him. “You really think that that's all he did it for?” 

 

I sighed, staring at the end of his button nose, unable to meet his gaze. “I hope so.” I stole a glance over at the door which Yugi had disappeared through as soon as I'd lead him and Ryou down to the lower levels. He hadn't even waited for me to tell him where Yami was, opting to look for him himself. I'd tried to find him to tell him that Yami wasn't even on this particular level – this one was reserved for crew members only – but he'd disappeared into the labyrinth of corridors. Ryou and I had returned to the hall we'd arrived at when we got off of the elevator – having to switch to get to the even lower levels – to wait for him to return. That's when the discussion about what Marik had done last night had been brought up. I needed to confide in someone, but I didn't want to do so in front of Yugi who would run straight to Yami and the others about it. “I didn't tell you before, but the other day, when Marik called me away, he didn't just want me to clean the throne room. That's all I ended up doing, but he definitely...showed interest, if you know what I mean. He kept on...touching me – just brushes of the skin, but still.” I looked away. It felt like a weight I didn't even know was there had been lifted, making me feel light and better than I had in days. I guess talking about it does help – go figure. “I really don't like the idea that he's interested in me. I just want to believe that he has an ulterior motive, just for now. Even if it's not true.”

 

I looked back to his eyes, so impossibly deep and brown; the longer I looked, the more layers of swirling milk and dark chocolate – laced with flecks of gold and forest green – they seemed to have. He looked right back, though his gaze was filled with concern rather than intrigue, as mine was. He twitched his nose a little and pursed his lips. “I understand.” Hugging me closer, his face disappeared into my neck once again. “I just don't get it. During the tournament he was so determined to send you to the shadow realm so that you wouldn't hold him back. Why would he...you know...do _that_ now?”

 

If I wasn't imagining things, his voice sounded almost bitter when he talked about 'the incident' – as I had so eloquently named it. Surely he couldn't have been _so_ mad about that – I mean, it didn't happen to him...He must have been angrier about the whole trying-to-send-me-to-the-shadow-realm thing than I had ever realised. “I don't know. The way he was born was so messed up that neither of us could even tell what happened or when. Our memories were muddled, we shared a body that was certainly not big enough for the two of us and our emotions mixed together. When we split neither of us knew how to determine our own thoughts – I guess he just blamed me for his confusion at first or something.”

 

Ryou hunched his shoulders, finally stepping away from me. A shock of cold hit me where his body had been, making me wrap my arms around myself in comfort. He looked up at me with a shine in his eyes that I couldn't place – almost like he was about to confess a momentous secret. “Malik...”

 

“Malik!” Yugi burst into the room through a door at the other end of the room, eyes wild. “I can't find him! I've looked everywhere...I just...I can't...” He burst into tears, clasping his hair in both hands, gasping hysterically. I hadn't realised how much the separation had affected him. Sure, I knew that it was hard for him, but I never could have guessed – as I looked on at him rocking back and forth in Ryou's arms, who had rushed forward instantly, forgetting what he had been about to say – how desperate he had become. After a while he began muttering to himself. “Where is he? Where is he?”

 

“Ryou.” He looked up at me. “We've got to get him downstairs to the others.” 

 

Ryou nodded and whispered into Yugi's ear. He didn't even react. “I don't think he can handle it. The stories always said that he couldn't be separated from the spirit of the puzzle until they were both ready, mind, body and soul. The early detachment has really affected him. He's been verging on meltdown for over a week now – I guess he's finally gone over.”

 

I stared at the smaller boy in his arms for a moment, my mind scouring for solutions to this problem. That has always been my issue – I see everything as a riddle; something to be solved. Growing up in the tunnels, I had used the hieroglyphs which adorned the walls, the priceless artefacts on our coffee tables and the eerily dark stone rooms to concoct predictions on how my ancestors had lived their lives. Maybe the crack in the floor of the study had been caused by my great-grandfather when he was performing a ritual? Could that statue have been gifted to my family in thanks by a thousand-years-dead pharaoh? 

 

I just loved answers. I needed them. Maybe that's what truly made me hate the Pharaoh so much – being trapped in those tunnels prevented me from finding out more answers. Answers about the world – answers that I could find if _I_ was Pharaoh...answers that I no longer wished to know. Look what my questions had caused.

 

“I'm going to go down and get him. If I can't get him out of the cell...I'll get a note or something. To get him moving at least.” I looked up at Ryou, who was trying to snap his friend out of his trance. “You going to be okay here on your own?”

 

He nodded sadly, offering a small smile to me. “Yeah, that's a good idea. We'll be okay.”

 

I reluctantly headed out of the room – peering back for a second at the two of them – before ducking out and running down the corridors towards the main elevator.

 

* * *

 

By the time I reached the lowest level, I had gathered my thoughts enough so that I could have a normal conversation without pouring my secrets out to total strangers. I couldn't be selfish – Yugi needed help much more urgently than I did. But everything with Marik was overwhelming me. It felt like all these emotions were being poured into me and I was just about full – I needed a way to stem the flow.  Ryou had calmed me to an extent, so that I could coherently map out the events of the past few days and make sense of them. Now that I was three floors below his influence, however, the map seemed to fade away into scrambled nothingness. Deep breath...everything can be solved.

 

There was a door at the end of the hallway that I was jogging down which, if I had remembered correctly, was where the 'more interesting' captives were kept. I glanced through the tiny window – yes, there they were. The only two people I could see – Mai and Duke – were sitting on the floor, glaring bleakly at the windowless walls, occasionally muttering one-worded phrases at each other which I couldn't hear on this side of the door.

 

I sighed and used the key which Marik had given me the day before to unlock the door. The room beyond was deathly silent. The click of the door had obviously been loud enough for them all to hear. To be honest, I was surprised that the key actually worked. Hmm...maybe he does trust me...

 

“Malik.” I looked around to see Bakura, Ryou's yami, sitting on a table in the corner of the room, glaring viscously at me. “What is your business?”

 

The others didn't seem entirely comfortable with him speaking on their behalf, but no-one spoke up. They were all wondering that as well. “He gave me a longer leash.” I didn't need to say his name. “Whatever you think of me, I'm trying to score you some freedom, so get off my case.”

 

Bakura raised his eyebrow and bared his teeth in a grimace. “Now, why would you do that?”

 

I really didn't like this guy – I was only trying to help! “Nothing better to do.”

 

His snarl disappeared, turning into a much softer smirk. “I see.” Why was he so much more satisfied when I seemed like I couldn't give a shit? What a weird guy...I couldn't see how could Ryou be remotely connected with him.

 

I finally got to the point of my 'visit'. “Where's Yami?” Tea did a little fake cough to get my attention and pointed silently to where he was standing. I'd never seen anything so...sad. He was just standing there, facing the wall, staring blankly at nothing. Or what I though was nothing – he could be watching his memories of he and Yugi on that wall for all I knew. That blank canvas could have held all of the answers that he needed. 

 

How could I have been so ignorant to believe that Yugi was the only one suffering? Now that I thought about it, Bakura had looked paler than usual, more tense – Ryou too. I hadn't really felt the separation, but I was regularly near my yami. They had been kept apart and it was eating them whole – was this what Marik had meant when he'd talked about keeping me close so that he could be whole?

 

I approached him slowly, feeling every other pair of eyes in the room on my back. Ignoring the rest of them, I leaned around Yami's unresponsive form. “Yami?” Nothing. “Yami, I need your help.” Nothing. “Marik let Ryou, Yugi and I...” Blink. Hmm...mentioning Yugi, eh? I pulled at his shoulders so that his upper body was twisted enough for him to look at my face – specifically my lips, so that the words would register. “Yugi is upstairs. He's just as out of it as you. He needs you, Yami.” His crimson eyes seemed to come to life, as if he was waking up from a dream. “Yugi needs you.” That woke him up. 

 

“What?” His face was pale and pinched, but it was definitely awake. “Yugi?”

 

“He's upstairs, come on.” I pulled him from the room, turning to address the the rest of them. “We'll be back in a...”

 

“Bring Ryou.” Bakura was still in his usual, careless stance, but his eyes were frantic and his jaw was tight. It wasn't a question.

 

I nodded and turned back, noticing Yami was halfway down the corridor already. I rushed after him and lead the way to the elevator. He started to pace and twitch, glaring at the little numbers above the metal door when they didn't go fast enough for him. As soon as the doors slid open, he darted out of them and sprinted out of sight. I guessed that he could sense where Yugi was...or he was just so desperate to see him.

 

I rounded the corner to see Ryou just closing the door to the hallway where I left him and Yugi. He looked up at the sound of my approach and smiled – a genuinely happy smile. The first one I'd seen in months, since before the Battle City tournament. “Thank you, Malik. He's better than he's been in days.”

 

I suddenly found my feet interesting – yeah...I get embarrassed really easily...and what? “It's okay. Um...Bakura said that he wanted to see you.”

 

Ryou froze, eyes wide, lips trembling. “Oh.”

 

I frowned at his reaction – I know Bakura is a general dick all round, but I was fairly certain that he gave Ryou the cotton wool treatment. He took a hit from an Egyptian God monster for him in the finals for heaven's sake! “What's up, Ryou?” Now that I looked closely, I saw that Ryou had dark bruise-like circles under his eyes and he appeared dangerously thin and pale, probably due to the separation from his yami. He should have looked like shit – he still looked beautiful to my eyes. He was Ryou. “Does Bakura treat you all right?”

 

Ryou seemed surprised at that question. “Yes! He treats me well. It's just...” Ah, Ryou. Are your feet interesting too? “The last time we talked – just after Marik gave him a body – he told me...he told me that he had feelings for me that he didn't think was just friendship or yami-hikari partnership or anything.”

 

I nodded at that, my head feeling light – as though I'd been drinking on an empty stomach. Why was my stomach rolling in reaction to his words? “O-oh. Right. That's...good, isn't it?”

 

Ryou shrugged, still looking down, gripping his right arm with his left. He seemed strangely disappointed with my reaction. “I guess...” He peered up through his white hair – almost silver from the reflections of the metal walls and ceiling surrounding us. “I don't really like him like that though. I mean, I can't say that I feel _nothing_...but someone else makes me feel...warm. Like nothing I've ever felt before.”

 

Ouch – what the hell? Why did that hurt so much? So what if Ryou liked someone – why does it matter? “Oh?” I licked my lips and stared right back at those chocolate eyes that were slowly becoming more visible. “Who would that be?” His eyes were so clear now, so brown that they were almost red. His breath was so hot and...really quite loud.

 

His lips were so soft.


	4. Chapter 4

I've never really thought of myself as gay. I mean, sure, I did spend last night being molested by a man – and enjoyed it – but I assumed that that didn't count. That didn't mean that I thought it was wrong in any way – just not meant for me. To be fair, I grew up down in the tunnels of a heavily religious country, destined to guard the secret of a long-dead Pharaoh and then pass down the duty to my first born son. I may not have had any formal sex ed. classes, but even I know that to have a son would require a man and a _woman_. So, as I said, not for me.

 

But there I was, lip-locked with Ryou against the wall of the first empty room we could find, lights off, breath heavy. His hands fisted in my hair, pulled at the back of my neck, clawed at my shoulders – anything he could do to crush me closer to his body. I was anything but reluctant – pushing him as deep into the wall as he would go. Our tongues battled furiously as I ground our hips together, making him groan. 

 

Ryou slid his thigh up my own, grinding into me slowly before hooking it around my waist. My fingers found the newly exposed skin at the small of his back, holding him even closer, the new position causing us to rub our most sensitive areas together. He snapped his head back, gasping for breath. “Malik...” Dear Ra...that had to be the sexiest thing I'd ever heard...my name on his lips. “Oh...”

 

I took advantage of his exposed neck – kissing, licking and nipping at different points – listening to him gasp and plea as I suckled the soft spot behind his ear. Pink dusted his cheeks and nose from arousal as I pushed his shirt up a little, touching the soft skin of his stomach – flat, not over-toned and sexy as hell. 

 

“Malik...” I looked up at the huge brown eyes gazing down at me, glassy with desire. His voice was inquisitive rather than a moan.

 

“Hmm?” I hummed against the sensitive skin of his neck, making him sigh in response.

 

He skimmed the pads of his fingers down my torso, tracing ribs and abs before coming to rest at my hips. Bringing his leg back down, he dropped to his knees, looking up at me with his face trapped between the wall and another, equally hard, place. The little amount of light in the room made his pale skin glow like alabaster and turn his eyes as black as onyx. Such extreme colours – he was so beautiful. “I know we can't...you know... _here_. But...” He slowly undid my belt, eyes never leaving mine. “I want you to be my first experience.”

 

I'm pretty sure my mouth was gaping at this point – when did sweet, innocent, virginal Ryou turn so daring? I guess he's always been confident – I never really noticed it because he was always on the sidelines when I dealt with Bakura or the others. But now that I thought about it, during the few times that I'd talked to him he had always been comfortable in his own skin – disregarding the times when Bakura whispered to him of course.

 

My thoughts were interrupted as I felt small, even teeth nibbling a path from my hipbone following the V-line down to the edge of my jeans. He used one hand to pop open the button, kneading my inner thigh with the other one, gliding his fingers up and down, getting nearer and nearer to a certain area. Slowly, my zipper got lower, his tongue following its trail, licking the thin material separating my skin from the outside world. When the zip was as low as it could go, he brought his hand up from my thigh to massage me through the cotton as his tongue came into contact with the head. 

 

I gasped at the touches, my elbows – which were holding me up as I leaned against the wall – buckled, making me rely on my forearms and the top of my head to hold me up. It took everything I had not to fall when he pulled my jeans and boxers down at an agonising rate, trailing his lips against each part of flesh as it was exposed. He reached the base, then licked back up the vein, flicking his tongue at the head, making me gasp.

 

His eyes snapped up to meet mine while he kissed the tip, holding my gaze while he pulled his lips over me and plunged back down, taking me into his hot mouth. I must have sounded like an animal – crying out, groaning, hissing – getting louder as he engulfed me again and again, never breaking eye contact until I reluctantly squeezed mine shut from the pleasure. 

 

After the initial frenzy, he developed a steady rhythm – relaxing his throat as he took me in, hollowing out his cheeks when he only the head between his lips, flicking and zigzagging his tongue. Soon, he began to moan around me, intensifying the sensations all the more. I prised my eyes open to see that he had slipped his hand beneath his loose jeans to wrap his fingers around his own need, eyes half closed.

 

I couldn't help but begin to thrust into his mouth as I felt that oh-so familiar heat knot in the lowest part of my belly – the hand in his jeans moved faster too, his moans turning louder, vibrating against me.

 

Suddenly he pulled back, leaving just the tip in his mouth and sucking hard, using his unoccupied hand to pump the rest of my length as fast as he did his own. I found myself clutching his snowy hair tight as I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming. “R-Ryou, stop...I'm going to...” Before I could finish my sentence I gasped, releasing the heat that had been pooling inside me. He tried to catch it all but some burst from between his lips, spilling down his chin. 

 

Panting for breath, he sat back heavily against the wall, unable to pull his legs together from the exhaustion of being on his knees so long. He reached up to me, pulling me down so that I was kneeling between his thighs and into another deep kiss. This one was slow, but just as passionate as we shared the taste still present on his tongue.

 

It was only when Ryou began to whimper into my mouth that I realised that he still had his hand in his jeans. I reached down, massaging him with my palm while he continued stroking himself, parting his legs further – pulling me closer. Abruptly, he let himself go, gasping my name, clutching me to his body.

 

We held like that for a while – I can't honestly say how long – with his knees practically touching the wall and our lips connected. He moved first, dropping his head back – eyes closed, lips parted. 

 

I arched an eyebrow at his limp form. “First experience, eh?”

 

He lazily smiled without opening his eyes. “Some people just have a natural gift.” I laughed at that, nuzzling my nose into the crook of his neck. “No, I'm kidding.” He fidgeted a little beneath my body. “That was my first...willing experience.”

 

I froze. _What?_ I shifted my position so that I was facing him, his face between my hands – I waited until he lifted his eyes from the floor. “What do you mean, Ryou?”

 

He bit his lip lightly, as if wondering whether he should tell me. “I...uh...” Sighing, he leaned forward to rest his forehead on mine, lining our noses up. “You don't remember?”

 

I had a bad feeling about this. A _really_ bad feeling about this. I pulled my face away from his, trying to see his whole expression. “Remember what exactly?”

 

“You...well...not _you_...” His eyes flickered this way and that, searching for something else to look at. “Um...I...it was...” He closed his eyes tight, tears leaking out from below the lids. “It was Marik.”

 

I felt sick. A thick poisonous feeling roiled in my stomach, turning everything in my body to lead. I numbly pulled him into my arms, whispered something about being so sorry, kissed his hair, let him cry. But my mind was elsewhere. 

 

What was I thinking? How could I ever have questioned if that psycho was evil? All the memories of murder, rape and torment came flooding back – he cared for no one and he had no good in him. I saw that now – I was reminded of it at least. Those conversations we'd had about his nature didn't matter – whether he could help it or not, he still did this shit. 

 

How poetic – the same man who took both of our innocence drove us together. I almost wanted to laugh at the irony – he'd wanted both of us and acted on that want. Both of us ended up hating him for it. 

 

I leaned back, wiping away the last of his tears, cleaning us up from our previous activities. “We should meet back up with the others. They've been expecting us for over an hour.”

 

He nodded and used my arm to help himself up, still shaky on his legs. I leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his trembling lips. “What do you what to tell them?”

 

He frowned, rolling his bottom lip between his fingers. “I...I don't think we should tell anyone.” He smiled at me apologetically. “I don't think Marik – or Bakura for that matter – would be so happy about it.”

 

“Yeah.” It made sense – Bakura didn't seem to be the type to want to share and Marik...was Marik. “You're right.” I caressed his face between my hands, looking into his eyes. “Just us, okay?”

 

He gazed back, smiling. “Just us.”

 

* * *

 

I looked through the tiny window to the cell the others were kept in – everyone was visibly calmer due to the presence of Yami and Yugi, who had returned sometime earlier and were just studying each other's faces in silent awe. Everyone was calmer except Bakura, still sitting in a corner looking thin and tired...and slightly panicky.

 

Ryou saw this and his attention was instantly anchored to him, pushing past me into the room. His yami was there before he crossed the room, clutching him to his chest, eyes clenched shut in relief. The rest of the room left them to it, knowing that Ryou wouldn't hear their greetings – a part of me was stung at how invisible I was to him while Bakura was around. But what really surprised me was that it was a very small part of me.

 

A hand touched my shoulder – making me jump – but when my head whipped back, I saw that it was just Joey. I still felt uncomfortable around him – I mean, he had every reason to turn around and snap my neck for all the shit I put him through. Well, the version of me that still had Marik attached anyway. But all I saw in his eyes were a gentle peace – something I _really_ didn't expect. “Thank you.”

 

Ah – damn you, self-consciousness! I felt the faint heat spread across my cheeks – just wonderful...I was blushing! “It's okay...nothing really...”

 

“No.” _Seto Kaiba_ – were you really talking to _me_? Christ, I felt special – and not as in needs. “It's not nothing and it's offensive for you to say that it is. You're risking your own safety for our freedom. That is a big deal, so do not speak lightly of it.”

 

“O-okay...” What was I supposed to say to that? “Sorry?”

 

He sighed and shook his head. “You do not even know how much you're doing for us...you're sorry?”

 

Joey rolled his eyes at Seto's seriousness and turned back to me. “I want you to know that it's all been wiped clean – everything between us all and you. We want to...”

 

I knew why he stopped mid sentence even though I faced away from the door – I could sense him. “Well, isn't this nice.”

 

“Marik.” Someone growled – I'm not sure who. I was too busy controlling my breathing and holding in the nausea my sudden fear was causing. Why was I nervous? He never used to genuinely scare me – not even when he was violent towards me – but something was different thing time. I had another really bad feeling.

 

Something appeared behind me – not touching, but radiating its warmth. His voice was low – angry. “Malik – out. Now.”

 

I nodded shakily, turning to head out of the room, ignoring the looks of terror on the others' faces – this time fear for me, rather than themselves as they did the last time I saw those expressions. I couldn't bring myself to look at Ryou, least I give something away. “Hikaris of the thief and Pharaoh – you are no longer permitted in the upper levels. You will remain here from now on.”

 

He swiftly stormed out of the room, catching me by my arm and pulling me along. We said nothing on the way up, avoiding each others eyes – well, I was avoiding his at least, so I can't be quite so sure about him. 

 

Finally, we reached the Throne Room, but he pulled me past it and into the bedroom, then through to the adjoining bathroom, letting me go once he'd locked the door. He sat himself down on the closed toilet seat, facing me, staring at my face unblinkingly. I was trembling, I think.

 

The silence stretched on as various looks played across his face while I stood in the centre of the room feeling extremely vulnerable, biting my lip to hold back frightened tears. What was wrong with me? I know that I must have done something to make him this mad, but crying? That was something I just never did.

 

Eventually he spoke. I really wished that he hadn't. “I was watching the cameras today.”

 

Oh...shit...“...oh.” I could barely hear myself, but I knew that he could hear it. I had to wrap my arms around myself in comfort – he'd seen it all. I knew it from the accusatory gleam in his eyes. I really didn't think that he'd find out so soon, if at all...Oh my God...he'd seen Ryou suck me off? Oh fuck...

 

Marik just flicked his eyes to the shower behind me and back to me. “Wash him off.”

 

That power again – the power of the Pharaoh – it washed over me and, though it didn't force me to do so, encouraged me to pull my clothes off. It made me realise just how much Marik wanted Ryou off of my skin – and I so wanted to please him...I didn't turn around – even as I stepped out of my boxers, shamelessly allowing him to see everything.

 

It didn't matter – he'd seen it all anyway.

 

The water was scolding, burning the day away. I scrubbed myself down, but it wasn't good enough. Marik left his perch to swirl me around under the flow, using a large sponge to wash my skin roughly again and again until its was raw and bleeding in places – I felt no pain; just eagerness to make him happy. He pulled back, turning the water off and nodding towards the sink. “You kissed him too, right?”

 

I nodded slowly, making my way over and brushing my teeth vigorously, watching him watch me in the mirror. Once I was done, he stepped up behind me and the silence loomed once again. Shaking his head, he whispered to me. “Why can't I be good enough?” I couldn't answer. Growling, he screamed at me, slamming my face into the mirror, making my teeth slice through my lip. “ _Why?_ ”

 

I couldn't think or feel the pain – maybe because of the power he was still radiating. Why _wasn't_ he good for me? Only one answer manage to form in my sluggish mind – one that I gripped to to keep myself sane. “You raped him.”

 

He reached his fingers past my face to trace patterns in the blood from my lip on the mirror, face like stone. “Yes.”

 

“Why?” That seemed like a stupid question, even in my foggy head – so I asked one that made more sense to me. “When?”

 

Raising his eyebrow, he smeared the blood as far as it could go before it was lost to the reflection of his hands. “Battle City – the thief and I wanted to give the Pharaoh a distraction remember? I attacked Bakura's host to put him into hospital.”

 

“Oh.” That's right...I remembered that...vaguely. But, I had never remembered exactly what happened – I guess I should be glad that I couldn't picture the details. “O-okay.”

 

He leaned his forehead on the back of my neck, breathing in deeply – as if to calm himself. “Answer my question, Malik – _why am I not good enough?_ ”

 

...I didn't know. The steam in the room seemed so dense that it leaked into my thoughts, barring all sense of reason. “You are.”

 

Suddenly, I found myself with my face pressed to the cold surface of the mirror once again – though not quite so roughly as last time – bent at the waist, hips pressed to the edge of the sink. “Then I need to be first.”

 

Leaning over the basin, I looked up at the mirror – his eyes met mine, hands touching everywhere Ryou's hadn't. It suddenly hit me how significant this position was...no...not just this position – this whole situation. This room was well lit and warm with steam, while with Ryou the room had been cast in darkness, the vastness making it cold. Ryou and I had equal power of dominance over each other, while Marik and I had clear roles. With Ryou, I knew how I felt, how he felt and we could share it face-to-face – no hiding it. Now, I was mashed up against a mirror, trying to guess at why he was doing this, why I was letting him do this – he was facing me, baring his soul, while I was looking away, only seeing him through a reflection.

 

Marik – cold, dark, borderline evil. Ryou – sweet, kind, innocent. They were both so different but they both raised indescribable emotions within me. Maybe they had one thing in common – they both knew how to push the right buttons with me. Though, with Ryou, it wasn't intentional.

 

I definitely had strong feelings...for both of them. I couldn't really deny it – whether it was from Marik's power messing with my head or the gentle way he caressed me, the feelings were there and I feared that they were there to stay. Evil or not. And Ryou...was my Ryou. The best friend I'd ever had, despite the little time we'd spent together.

 

Emotions were confusing. I decided just to give into the sensations coursing through my body for the second time that day – tingling following his touches, heat in my stomach. A moan forced its way from my lips as he bit into my collar sharply, drawing blood, lapping it up. 

 

Everything else blurred into a flurry of touch, taste, sound, smell, sight. I couldn't feel pain of the slashes he made in my skin, only the pleasure. It didn't even hurt when he entered me dry and fast, smashing my hips into the porcelain. He held still, staring at my face, whispering into my ear about not having to remind me who I belonged to any more. All I could do was whimper and claw against the steamy glass.

 

He pounded into me over and over, biting my shoulder to hold back growls of pleasure – I made embarrassing mewls and whines, nearly passing out when he slammed into something buried within me. I was only half aware of my knees collapsing, making him pick me up and swivel me around to sit on the sink, thighs spread wide as he entered again.

 

My nails dug into the skin of his back as he hammered me into the mirror – by now I was screaming. Nothing else mattered – just this. Our blurry act in the bathroom. 

 

“Oh...Oh...” Everything was whitewash as my entire body tightened more and more, to the point of pain. “I...gonna... _Marik!_ ”

 

Everything went dead quiet after we both climaxed – panting heavily, we stared at each other in equal shock. _I had screamed his name..._ The games had now begun.


	5. Chapter 5

Ra...I'm such a slut. Man...I gave away my virginity last night without a second thought – to someone who wouldn't know love if it walked right up to him and slapped him in the face. Somewhere in the back of my mind a small voice told me that it was all because I was under the influence of the Pharaoh, but the more rational – less desperate for an excuse – part of my mind knew that just wasn't entirely true. I had wanted him, and it sickened me to remember how much. Being honest though, it disgusted me more to think that I hadn't considered Ryou – he had never even crossed my mind. How bad a friend/lover am I? Ra...

 

It was late the next day – almost three in the afternoon – before I woke up, finding myself fully dressed in a huge white button-down shirt with black slacks and in an empty bed. I tried to get up, only to gasp and fall back down as lashes of agony slashed across my hips, back and...um...private areas. 

 

It took me well over an hour to hoist myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth and such, ignoring the image in the mirror before me. I didn't need a further reminder of the events of last night – I was fairly certain that my lips were split and swollen, as well as most of the left side of my face. I didn't even want to know what my hips and stomach looked like after being slammed into the sink over and over.

 

Every step I took seemed like a sin – I felt as though I was on the run; peering around corners before I rounded them, being cautious of anything and everything that could lead to me being caught, being terrified by the sound of my own footsteps. Marik was nowhere to be found. Where _did_ that guy go during the day? It seemed that I could never find him until nightfall. Hmm...probably updating his wank-bank...nasty pervert...

 

Eventually – after miles and miles (yes, I'm being dramatic) of limping and dragging my weight – the cell door hiding the others appeared before like the holy grail. Seriously, it could have been glowing gold for how happy I was to see it – I was exhausted! Pulling my key out, I unlocked the door and let myself in, keeping my back to the room so as to keep my face away from them as long as possible. 

 

“Malik!” Ryou rushed up behind me sounding relieved. “We were so worried – you were gone for such a long time! He looked really mad – what happened?”

 

I waited until the door was firmly closed – taking extra time to ensure that the job was done properly...a.k.a. I was stalling – Ryou was bound to ask about the bruises on my face and I so didn't want to lie to him...again. I kept looking towards the door, my hair shielding his view of me. “Nothin' – it wa' fine.” Um...I think my lip was worse than I thought – I couldn't even pronounce words properly! Ra...

 

“What? Malik are you...?” He peeked around my shoulder to look at me properly and gasped in shock. “Oh my God!”

 

“What? What's wrong?” Yami had stepped forward in worry at hearing Ryou's panic.

 

“Malik?” Wonderful – now Joey was getting involved. Clearly I had drawn the attention of the whole room. Fan-fucking-tastic. And Ryou was still staring at me in horror. Oh, no – don't cry! Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry! Great...now he's crying. That'll go down well with Bakura.

 

“He did that because of us?” I knew that he was talking about what had happened between the two of us in that dark room yesterday, but everyone else clearly assumed that I had done some heroic act of defending their freedom or something. 

 

“'s nothin'.” I said...well, slurred.

 

Ryou wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Nothing? Have you seen yourself?”

 

I shrugged my shoulders, wincing at the sting it caused as several cuts reopened. “No – kind o' avoidin' mirror'.”

 

Ryou swept forward to hug me – holy shit, that hurt. Fuck...Ra...shit...ouch. When the white-noise cleared, I found myself foetal on the floor with several people standing over me, trying to get a look at my face. “C'mon, guys – give him room.” Hmm...that voice was unfamiliar. I mean, I'd heard it before, but I couldn't think of where from. 

 

“Tristan's right – back away.” Ah, that's right – Tristan. The one that just spoke was...Mokuba? I didn't know – maybe. I was just focusing on anything but the pain. Suddenly, I found two strong arms lift me and carry me to a sofa-like...thing. I heard gasps as I laid back, finally revealing my face to them.

 

“Christ...that guy's a fucking psycho.” It turned out to be Yami who carried me and so delicately commented on the appearance of my face. Thanks, guys – really, you spoil me with your flattery.

 

“That' it...where' the damn mirro'?” I tried to sit up but got held down by Mai, who was already brandishing one of those compact mirrors that every girl seems to have stashed on their person at all times.

 

“Hun, you sure you want to see? You've really been through the wars by the looks of it.” I ignored her warning and reached up for it.

 

“Oh...” Wow...gone through the wars? That girl was bang on the money. The entire left side of my face was purple and swollen, forcing my eye to remain in a half-closed state. The places where the skin was torn still oozed with slow blood, excluding my busted lip which had a sore halo of scarlet.

 

“What's that?” Ryou's fingers found the bottom of my shirt – which had shifted up when Yami carried me – and pulled it higher. I instantly knew that my hips and stomach looked just as bad as they felt when several harsh chokes resounded around the room. “Oh...Malik...What did he do to you?”

 

The question was rhetorical, I know, but I still felt the overwhelming urge to answer it – to come up with an excuse as to what happened sooner rather than later before I had a chance to back out of the lie. “Don' know...blacked out after I hi' my head.”

 

His face scrunched up again and I instantly regretted upsetting him – no, the truth would upset him more. I had to remember that. I shifted myself far enough backwards that I could prop my head up on cushion. Ah...now I knew what he was assuming – well, guessing at half-truths actually. My hips were black with bruises and my stomach were deeply laced with gashes – I didn't even remember that happening. I guess I was too caught up in it to realise...man, I really hated myself. Ryou had obviously guessed that Marik had finished what he'd started the other night – but he thought it was rape. Good. It was better than him knowing that I'd cheated on him...if it counted as cheating – were we even together? Mental note: have 'the talk' with Ryou.

 

Seto cleared his throat to get my attention and gestured my body. “Shall we get you checked over?”

 

I shook my head, coughing through the pain. “No – only Marik an' I can let the doctors out. I clearly can' do it and I doubt Marik will.” Yes! My speech was coming back...slowly.

 

He nodded and frowned, looking at his feet. Hello...Seto Kaiba, are you embarrassed? “Actually, the medics showed me a few things about first aid when I was little and didn't have anything to do. I meant, should I check you over?”

 

Silence. Seto Kaiba just offered to help another human being. This guy was so different to how I first thought – to how everyone first thought, apparently. I didn't like the idea of him seeing... _everything_...but I was becoming really sore. Especially _that_ area – I was truly feeling the effects of the lack of preparation on my virgin body. I guess I had no choice. “Hmm...if you don' mind...um...does it have to be here?”

 

He shook his head and pointed to a side door that I hadn't noticed before. Before I could get up, Yami took me in his arms again and carried me through to a kind of storage room, setting me on a high table and left again, giving me a warm smile as he went. This was getting weird...they were all being so nice to me after so little time...how odd. The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with Seto. “So, what really happened?”

 

I raised one shoulder in a half-shrug. “I think you already know – I didn't wan' to say it in front of everyone.” In front of Ryou, I meant.

 

He pursed his lips, obviously having his suspicions confirmed. “And did he...um...make it...easier?”

 

Easier? What did he...oh, right. “No. He just...did it.” Got my T's back.

 

Seto nodded and retrieved a medical box from one of the shelves. “I'm going to have to undress you – is that okay?”

 

It was so strange to hear the infamously indifferent CEO to speak in such a gentle way. “...it's fine.” He cautiously removed my clothes, the scrunched-up wrinkles becoming deeper and deeper as more of my injuries came into his view – he never commented though, just studied. His hands worked at disinfecting and dressing the areas that needed it, always gentle with his touch and reassuring with his words.

 

It was just so surreal – I hardly even noticed when I fell asleep for a few minutes, having to be woken up by a half-amused Seto. “Hey – I'm ready to treat the more...um...intimate wounds.”

 

“Oh...right.” I helped him as much as I could when he turned me around and held my breath as he pulled off the last of my clothing, leaving me bare to the cold room. Pushing away the thought of Seto pretty much being a stranger, I clenched my fists and allowed him to complete the treatment. 

 

“So...how uncomfortable do you feel right now?” Making a joke, Kaiba? _Really?_ Never thought I'd see the day...

 

“Oh, just a tad.” I find that sarcasm works wonderfully in situations like these.

 

He chuckled a little and I found myself relaxing a little – this guy should really be a doctor. Though he didn't generally show it, he had a way with people – even if it was only one-on-one – and a knack for patching up injuries. After no time at all, he helped me back into my clothes and removed the rubber gloves that I never saw him put on – I swear I'm becoming less observant recently. 

 

“Can we talk, Malik?” He hoisted himself onto the table I was sitting on and watched me with an open expression.

 

I shrugged. “Depends what it's about.”

 

“It's about Marik.”

 

“Oh.” Shit...um...fuck. I didn't know what I could or couldn't divulge. I didn't know if I wanted to – I had barely sorted my head out about what I felt for the guy and I was certainly not ready to decide whether I wanted to protect him or his secrets. Because that's what Seto was bound to ask about – what his weaknesses were. Like Yugi did. Like they all would.

 

“Yeah...what does he want you for?” 

 

What? _That_ I was not expecting. “Uh...I don't know...a fuck buddy?”

 

The corner of his mouth twitched as though he wanted to laugh. It felt nice to have someone to talk to like that – someone who I didn't have to be careful with my words around, like Marik, Ryou and Yugi. I mean, I couldn't say _everything_ around him – I just felt glad to be able to make the weird little jokes that only I usually understood and swear to and be sarcastic around. “That too – but seriously.” He tapped his nails against the edge of the table. “You don't think it's something to do with getting more power?”

 

...um. Wow...I hadn't thought of that. I knew that he was power hungry and I wasn't air-headed enough to be deluded into thinking that he wasn't using me, but...I'd never connected the two ideas. My chest suddenly felt tight, making my stomach feel hot and sickly – what was wrong with me? Of course that's all he wanted. Oh, no Malik – you hadn't honestly fooled yourself into thinking that he gave a shit about you, did you? He'd told me all along that he needed to be 'completely whole' and could only do that if I joined with him...I guess that's what he meant by he 'needed to be first'. Ra...I'm such an idiot. “Oh...yeah – probably something to with our souls.” What am I a child? He hurt me so I hurt him back – he used me so I tell Seto his secrets? I'm so immature. “Killed two birds with one stone, I guess – got closer to joining our souls and got his rocks off at the same time.” My voice sounded so much more hysterical than I'd intended it to be.

 

I suddenly had an arm around me, pulling me into a warm hug. It was so different than what I was used to – with Ryou it was affection, with Odeon it was dutiful comfort, with Marik it was lust. This...was just what it was. Friendship with no other implications. I hadn't even realised how much I'd needed that – just someone who I didn't feel obligated to. And I just cried. I let out everything that I'd bottled up over the last few days in wordless tears and he just held me.

 

Who knew that Seto Kaiba – of all people – would turn out to be such a good friend?


	6. Chapter 6

Why did I do this? I knew it was not going to end well. I knew that, in the end, I'd be tossed aside like a piece of old meat and forgotten about – left to rot. But here I was – once again standing in the middle of the room in front of him, naked – ignoring everything that I knew, paralysed by his stare. 

 

I couldn't even recall how I had got there – the last thing my quickly deteriorating mind could remember was being in Seto's comforting arms, and even that was beginning to fade. His presence was just filling every part of me – conscious or not – making me breathe fast and flush scarlet. My skin tingled in all of the places he had ever touched me, remembering how it felt and anticipating – _craving_ – the contact that was soon to come.

 

The orbs of purple raked at my body, lingering on the recently treated wounds on my face, hips and stomach – his face twisted when he saw the black bruises around my hip bones and the oozing gashes on my face. “I did that.” It wasn't a question – he was stating it as though he couldn't believe the extent of what he had done. He approached from his position of leaning against the bedroom door and stopped mere inches away from me – I could feel his breath on my skin as he skimmed my wounds with the tips of his fingers, making me shiver. “Who treated you?” 

 

His voice was low and commanding, making it impossible for me to lie. “Seto.”

 

His eyes snapped up to meet mine, turning my thoughts into vapour as he growled low in his throat. “He saw you like this?”

 

Fuck...This wasn't going to end well...But those eyes were still boring into my own – I couldn't lie to him. I couldn't say no. “Yes.”

 

Teeth audibly clicked as he tightened his jaw and snarled – his face contorted in fury the instant I flinched. “Stop being so scared of me!” All of a sudden, the room was a blur as I flew off my feet and was tossed onto the bed – his fingers digging into my shoulders as he knelt above me. He pressed me harder and harder into the mattress until the pain lashing through my back forced me to cry out. The second I did, he recoiled, covering his face as he breathed steadily, trying to calm himself. “Don't be so scared...”

 

His voice seemed so much softer than before – so sorry. I ignored the soreness that laced throughout my body and reached up to him, taking him into a cautious hug. “I'm not scared of you.” And I wasn't. I knew that he was using me – I knew that he just wanted more power – but the part of me that only appeared when I was alone with him just didn't care. It made me sick to know that I just wanted to make him happy, regardless of what he did to me – I didn't know who I was turning into.

 

My thoughts ceased when his arms slowly wrapped around me, his face buried in my neck. We lay like that for countless minutes – steadily breathing, aware of each other's scent. There was something about Marik's aroma that had me hooked on it's musky, earthy qualities – I inhaled the fresh bonfire and wood-smoke smell deeply, loving every lungful. It seemed that every time we were close to each other, I discovered another little trait about him that made it oh-so much harder to hate him – more difficult to remember the evil in his heart. “I don't want you to be afraid.”

 

The whole deal with Seto seeing me naked had been forgotten for the time being, it seemed – I was far too concerned with how truly sad he sounded. I tightened my grip around his back and nuzzled deeper into his shoulder. “I'm not – I'm not.” I pulled back a little and met his gaze – it was more open than I'd ever seen it. Was this part of our games? Was it real? I didn't know. Nothing was clear in that little bubble of us that we had created. “Marik, I'm not scared of you.”

 

Our eyes met and we were both reminded of the last time I had called him by his name – my cheeks flushed hotter as I recollected that I was just as naked as I was then, with the added bonus of him straddling me on the bed. He shifted his weight slightly so he could hold himself up as he brushed the left side of my face with his fingers, creasing his eyebrows while he traced the bruises. “You should be.” He shook his head, eyes still studying my face. “I can't restrain myself. The longer I have this power, the less control I have – it's like I can't stop.” He was confiding in me once again – like he did two days ago, when he told me about his nature. He had said that is was a part of him to obtain power – just as innate as breathing – so maybe what he did last night was the same kind of thing? No, Malik – stop making excuses for him! Suddenly, he sighed and a desperate look flashed across his face. “Show me, Malik – show me that I don't have to be careful around you.” He squeezed his eyes closed and rested his forehead against my chest. I guess I never realised how hard all of this must have been for him – the loneliness, the struggle for revenge, the strain of having so much power. Though it may have all been self inflicted, the look of weariness made my heart pang in guilt for hating him so much. Life was so confusing. “Please.”

 

I took a deep, slow breath and held it, trying to convince myself that I hadn't already made up my mind about what I should do. “Do you hear my heart?”

 

Marik turned his head to lay his ear on my chest and mumbled affirmatively. “It's quick.”

 

I nodded and placed my hands either side of his face, pulling it up slightly. “That's not through fear, Marik. I tell you that with confidence.”

 

He frowned slightly. “What do you mean?” He lifted himself up so we were face to face again, keeping one hand pressed over mine on his cheek. 

 

My free hand drifted to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. His breath swept across my bottom lip, making my own hitch and quicken. “I mean this – _now_. No fear, no loss of control. Just us, Marik, right here.”

 

His eyes gleamed in hope as he closed the distance for a desperate kiss – our first. It was hot and slow and tasted ancient like nothing I had never known. He pressed down on me, pushing everything else out of my mind, leaving just him and his lips and his tongue. My hands reached up and tangled in his hair, feeling the soft tresses and massaging his scalp with my fingertips. His fingers danced lower to my stomach, soothing the abused skin as he drew intricate patterns. Breathing suddenly didn't seem important – I just needed him as close as possible, drawing him nearer and nearer, crushing him to my body.

 

Soon, he pulled back, inhaling air quickly to make up for what he lost – I found myself doing the same, having not realised how long I had been holding my breath for. Everything was different this time – for one, he wasn't using the power of the Pharaoh to influence me, so every feeling was my own; for another, the look in his eyes was so intensely passionate, I almost convinced myself that this was real. Almost. “That proof enough for you?”

 

He nodded slowly, keeping eye contact as he traced circles down my thighs, working his way from the outside, rubbing his thumbs closer and closer to my intimacy – at the same time he parted my legs and nestled himself between them. Every patch of skin he grazed tingled as he used his power to heighten my sensitivity. 

 

My body felt like live wire – every touch was electric. He leant down again and kissed my neck, nibbling the flesh behind my ear, turning me to mush. Tiny mewls escaped me as the caresses mixed with the power of the Pharaoh, creating a pleasure-filled swirl of sensations to roil in my stomach. “Marik...what are you...?” My voice sounded so breathy...I hated it.

 

“I don't want to hurt you any more...I thought that maybe I could use my power for something other than control.” His eyes were downcast – embarrassed. He had never been this cautious around me – so unsure of himself. After everything he had done to me – to everyone – I shouldn't have felt the need to hold him, tell him that everything was fine and there was no need to trouble himself. But the feeling was there all the same.

 

“You don't need to worry...” I looked down and caught him staring up at me, watching me intensely.

 

He grazed his teeth down the column of my throat, spreading warmth down my spine.“I don't think you realise how much I do.”

 

He cut off all other conversation by covering my lips with his own and pressing his hips closer into mine, making me gasp into his mouth. Suddenly his hands were everywhere, his power still shooting sparks of pleasure along my nerves. 

 

Everything happened so fast – my mind was soon foggy with desire and lust, giving in to his touch. Fuck it...I didn't care – he may be evil, and this may have been wrong in everyone's eyes, but damn if I cared. “Ah!” Something slick slid into me, jarring my thoughts further. I felt his power pulse inside of me as it pumped in and out, relaxing my muscles. “Ra...”

 

“I never would have guessed that you would make a face like that with just my finger inside of you.” Marik whispered right next to my ear – his voice deep and low, making me shiver. Teeth nibbled the lobe as he chuckled. “You like this?”

 

He was so confusing! One minute he seemed so unsure of himself, so self-conscious, and the next he was whispering dirty words so close to my ear that I could feel the vibrations of his voice. “Nngh!” Another finger pushed in, radiating that warm power as it joined the first. The tiny quivers of magic rippled inside as those fingers scissored and massaged, eventually skimming that place he'd hit the night before, turning me into jelly.

 

“I asked you a question, Malik.” My name rolled off of his tongue so sensually that it may as well have been as dirty a word as before. His kisses trailed down to my chest, using his free hand to outline and memorise the contours of my body – at the same time a third finger entered and the three plunged deeper, striking that spot again and again, rattling energy through it. If I had felt electric before, I was now nuclear.

 

I found myself clutching at hair, sheets, skin to relieve the intensity of the feelings. All too soon, I was slick with sweat and felt my stomach tighten. “N-no! Marik...stop.” He just chuckled and quickened his pace, striking that bundle of nerves with more and more force. His other hand left my chest and began to pump my neglected member, making the string of moans coming out of my mouth turn to incoherent gasps and groans. My hands clawed at his shoulders weakly, trying to gasp at him to stop. The tightening in my stomach becoming unbearable – heat spread down my thighs and neck. “Ah!” The tightness released with force, covering his hand and my stomach with warm fluid.

 

Oh my Ra...I actually just came from being _fingered_. Christ, that's embarrassing...“Heh...” Marik pulled his fingers out and laughed as he stared down at my limp form. “I guess that answered my question.”

 

“Shut up.” I sighed and let my fingertips dance along the skin of his neck as I realised that he was still as worked up as he was when we started. I gestured the now-obvious bulge in his jeans. “What about you?”

 

“Hmm?” He looked down, seemingly have forgotten his own discomfort. “Oh, um...you want to take care of it?”

 

There he was again – the Marik that seemed almost shy. I swallowed a little to soothe my dry throat and nodded, rolling us over so that he was on his back as I wiggled down his body. I could feel his eyes on me as I came face-to-face with his manhood – we were both wondering how far this would go; how much I could take before I was reminded of who he was. And I waited for that little voice in my head to tell me to stop now; that I couldn't blame this on him forcing me, that this was all me – it never spoke. I _wanted_ this.

 

My numb fingers fumbled with his button and fly, exposing the fact that he hadn't bothered with underwear today. _Christ_...that had been inside of me? I mean, I'd never looked at it before...it was fucking _huge_. To be honest, I'd never given head before, so I was at a loss when I thought about what it was like – but I really doubted that ordering supersize made it easy.

 

“Don't worry.” I looked up and saw his expression was placid and relaxed – _happy_. “It's enough that you considered it.”

 

I frowned. He thought I wanted to stop? Yeah, I had probably been staring at it in horror, but I...oh my Ra – I actually wanted to suck his cock. Fuck...what was wrong with me? I shook my head and held his hips down as he attempted to get up, earning a confused look. I held my breath and took the head into my mouth, sucking lightly, and braced my hands on his thighs.

 

Okay, so my one previous experience of a blow job happened yesterday and was so much more intense than this. I was kind of awkwardly bobbing my head and he was just laying there, trying to figure out what to do with his hands. Man, it was too quiet...What wasn't I doing right? 

 

I looked up to see his reaction and, the second our eyes met, everything changed. Suddenly, I didn't need to think, just act on instinct. I pulled back, holding his eyes, and licked long lines down the underside, teasing the flesh with my tongue. Pinching the head between my lips, I lifted a hand and caressed the shaft as I drew him in, inch by inch – never breaking eye contact. His growls spurred me on – as did the fingers digging into the back of my head. I used as much saliva as I could as I moved up and down, getting faster – taking him in as far as my throat would allow, hollowing my cheeks at the head. 

 

On a whim, I pulled away – ignoring his grumble of annoyance – and wrenched his jeans down to his knees before crawling back up his body to straddle him. He quickly realised what I was about to do and steadied my hips as I impaled myself on him. “ _Fuck_.” He groaned as my body swallowed him whole.

 

He sat up and wrapped his arm around my lower back – forcing me to cling around his neck for balance – supporting the two of us with the other one behind him. Our hips clashed together as we started a desperate rhythm – no Pharaoh's power to taint reality; just something hot and wild and animal. Nothing I'd ever known in this lifetime. 

 

He pounded into me fiercely, as though he'd been waiting years for this – consensual passion. Each thrust rammed into _that spot_ , which was already sensitive from before, making me cry out, clutching him closer.

 

He flipped us over once again, slamming me onto my back and hammered into me urgently. Our moans merged, not one being distinguishable from another as our tongues met in a messy frenzy. My nails raked down his back – now bare from where his shirt had been ripped from his body somewhere along the line – drawing blood, making him growl in pleasure. His hand reached between our bodies and pumped my newly formed hardness, making me choke with the combined sensations. 

 

My stomach tightened for the second time that night and the heat throbbed throughout my body. A few more strikes to my sweet spot made me explode, spilling all over his hand. He quickened his pace, leaning down to bite my neck as he came, filling me up.

 

We lay there panting, drifting down from that post-sex high. I was still waiting for that regret to set in – I guess I shouldn't have wasted my time, because it didn't come. It never did. He pulled out and used a towel off of the stack that we kept beside the bed to clean me up. After, he removed his jeans and lifted me up, sliding the two of us beneath the sheets with me draped over his chest. I didn't really mind – my ear was right over his heart, the unsteady beat making me smile. “Malik?”

 

“Hmm?” 

 

He lifted my chin so that I could see his face fully. “I love you.”

 

I know. “I love you, too.” And I fucking hate myself for it.


	7. Chapter 7

It seems that what most people would have called a confession turned out to be more of a realisation – an acceptance of something that had been there all along, rather than a feeling which had grown over time. Maybe it was just the irresistible magnetic attraction between the light and dark halves of our shared soul which made it inevitable. Probably. Whatever the reason for it was, those feelings were definitely there and they were overpowering – all I could think at the time was ' _how can I tell Ryou?'_

 

I still didn't know the answer to that question, but there I was – alone with him in the very same room as before, hands twined together and faces barely a breath apart. I was only doing this for his benefit, though. Before, I had been so unbelievably attracted to this boy that I couldn't stop myself from being pulled under his influence – now I felt...friendship, if anything. It was almost like Marik's new presence in my heart had overtaken Ryou's and had all but erased it.

 

“It was because of us wasn't it?” Ryou's eyes held such guilt in them – like he was blaming himself for the physical state that I was in. But I wouldn't lie to him again on top of everything else.

 

“Partially – it was more because...” I paused, unwilling to say it. What would happen if I really told Ryou the truth about everything? He would think I was sick, that's what – wrong in the head. So, once again, I settled on those frail half-truths which made me ashamed to be the person I was becoming. “He saw us on the security cameras – I'm sorry, I forgot about them...”

 

He hushed my apologies with a gentle kiss – a friend kiss. Nothing more. “You're not to blame – I knew they were there as much as you did. We were just...caught in the moment, I guess.” He smiled coyly, making my stomach pang with sorrow – that smile should be for someone who deserved it. I had to tell him. _I had to..._ But he beat me to it. “This isn't love, is it.” He said it so calmly – so surely – that I knew it wasn't a question. He knew that I was not in it fully – he _knew_ – but how much did he know? Or, at least, how much had he assumed?

 

His expression remained neutral – he didn't even go to change our position. I really should have been more shocked that he had said that, but I was kind of relieved to be honest. “No, Ryou. I don't think it is.”

 

Ryou nodded, tracing the veins on my wrist with one placid finger. “This isn't love...because you love him.” My jaw dropped and I scrambled to find an answer to that – how the hell did he know? I should have been glad to not have to tell him myself, but I was too mortified to discover how obvious I was – if I couldn't hide it from Ryou, how would I keep it from everyone else? Surely they were going to exploit it if they found out. “Don't worry, I get it.”

 

I furrowed my eyebrows, confused as to why he wasn't angry or judgemental. “Get it? How can you get it?” I pulled away from his grip, only to find him holding on tightly, preventing my escape. “You're not the one who's in love with a psycho!”

 

“Am I not?” Ryou's eyes hardened as he spoke, still gripping my wrist tightly and staring me down – this really isn't how I thought it would go. “Don't I get it? Do I not understand what it's like to have some kind of gravitational pull towards another – much darker – half of my soul?”

 

“Oh...” Shit...I had forgotten about Bakura. Now I felt like a complete douche – of course he knew! Dear Ra...what the hell was I thinking? “I'm sorry...I forgot. Of course you...”

 

“Of course I didn't realise that you were lying to me all this time? No, _of course_ not.” His voice dripped in sarcasm, but he didn't seem mad – in fact, he was smiling again and his eyes were back to that soft chocolate brown as quick as they had changed. “My God, Malik – I knew that this wasn't the real thing. I just also knew that we both needed a break from everything that was going on and, yeah, I like you. But I love Bakura – and you love Marik. Just like Yugi loves Yami. We can't help it – the six of us are the literal definition of soul mates.”

 

When he said it like that, I couldn't help but feel like an absolute idiot – I had been sneaking around and lying to him for no reason at all. “Oh...well...sorry.” I dragged my fingers through my hair, feeling at least a part of my stress being lifted. “I just thought that because it was Marik, it would be hard to...wait! You're in love with Bakura?” I cocked my head inquisitively, trying not to seem judgemental – after all, he hadn't said anything negative about me and Marik. “I thought you said that you didn't return his feelings.”

 

He let out an embarrassed giggle and stared at his feet. “Well...um...when I saw him again after all that time apart, I felt better than I had in ages and then...I don't know – I realised that I couldn't be without him again and we...well, after Marik took you away, I got really upset and Bakura took me away from everyone else to calm down...One thing lead to another...” He peered up to see my reaction – which was a surprised grin – through his white fringe. “I felt so guilty when you come back in this condition – I mean, I had been... _doing that_ when you were suffering.”

 

I shook my head and pulled him into a tight hug, feeling lighter than ever. “You shouldn't have – it may have been bad, but I didn't feel it when it happened. I wasn't exactly _suffering_ at the time.”

 

It took a moment before Ryou's eyes widened in comprehension as he scanned my abused face. “What do you mean? That doesn't hurt?”

 

I shrugged a little and trailed my free hand across my wounds. “It didn't hurt at the time because he used his powers to stop me feeling it – he kind of lost his temper after what he saw on the security cameras – but, I'm not going to lie, it hurt a damn sight more the morning after. Until Seto sorted it all out, that is.”

 

He pursed his lips in an unsure expression, tilting his head. “I'm sorry it had to be him.”

 

I nodded slowly, biting back the sudden irritation that had flared in me when Ryou had said that – I understood what he meant, but hearing him say that about Marik...it really pissed me off. “I guess.” I took a deep, calming breath and looked at him – _really_ looked – and saw something that made me glad. His cheeks were pinker, his eyes were shinier, his lips curved upwards – he was happy. Truly happy. And that was the best thing in the world that could I have seen. “I'm glad that you have him.”

 

Once again, he smiled – just smiled – and said the two words that told me that this was how it was going to be from now on. “Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

The room fell silent as soon as I walked in, every face directed towards mine. Thanks for talking about me guys – nice to know that you're making _me_ the centre of _your_ world. Note the sarcasm. “Um, hi.”

 

“Hey.” Ra, that was creepy – they all said it in unison. I clucked my tongue against the roof of my mouth and continued to return the stares awkwardly. _Okay..._

 

Mai suddenly turned to Joey and whispered something to him which made him blanch and shake his head. “No! We can't ask him to do that.”

 

I frowned, turning towards them. “Ask who to do what?” I really didn't want to assume that the _who_ was me just in case I jinxed it to be bad or something...but it was pretty obvious.

 

The two blonds exchanged an intense look – clearly arguing it out whether or not they should tell me – before Yami stepped in with a slightly pained look on his face. “We were discussing ways of escaping.”

 

Oh, I see. “You were thinking of ways to get rid of Marik.” I sounded pretty calm about it, in my opinion – I mean, my stomach clamped in on itself painfully when I thought of how they would _get rid_ of Marik and I was able not to cry out halfway through the sentence...kind of. They all shuffled around nervously and mumbled small affirmations. “You do realise that there are cameras in here?”

 

Yami nodded and gestured at the four security cameras in the corners of the room. “Seto was the one who approved the designs of this blimp, remember? We disabled both picture and sound days ago.” He rolled his shoulders and leaned heavily against the wall behind him. “Malik, how close are you and Marik?”

 

Shit...um...what do I tell him? I felt Ryou shift uncomfortably beside me, having entered the room with me – he knew what they had been talking about before I walked in...had he been keeping me away from the discussions until they come to a decision? No...Ryou wouldn't do that...I really hoped he wouldn't, anyway – I couldn't deal with him turning out to be a back-stabber. “Look at my face and judge for yourself.” The injuries still lay there, providing me with an excuse to back away from the question. 

 

Yami's eyes lingered over the bruises and tightened his jaw a little, coming to a conclusion. “So you would help us then?”

 

No, not really. “Uh...it kind of depends on what you mean by help.” Don't you look at me suspiciously, Yugi.

 

Seto nodded and waved Yugi away when he tried to comment. “That's fair enough.” He turned to me with a serious expression. “We are asking you to seduce him and get him to lower his guard.” Didn't he still think Marik raped me? He just asked a victim to get close to their attacker – that would not have gone down well if it really happened. I made myself stiffen up and look terrified. “W-what? How do you expect me to do that after what happened? I can't...”

 

“He's your yami – he won't hurt you again.” Bakura suddenly interrupted. “That was a one time thing, I assure you.” I really don't want to know why he was so certain of that fact – especially since Ryou shrunk into himself and stayed very quiet.

 

Yami's gaze lingered on Bakura – contempt clear in his eyes – but he ignored the clear meaning behind his words to turn back to me. “I know it will be hard to face him again after that, but we need you to...”

 

“Don't do that – it's not even to do with what happened. Like Bakura said, Marik is his yami – that's like asking Yugi to betray you, or me to betray Bakura. It's not fair to try to guilt trip him into this.” I really wanted to hug Ryou for that – how could I have thought that he had tried to stab me in the back?

 

“It's not the same thing at all – Marik wasn't made in the same way as our yamis.” Why did Yugi continue to make me want to punch his teeth out? Can't he be sensitive to anyone's feelings ever? 

 

“No, it's not the same thing, Yugi.” I ground my teeth together, ignoring the strange look that I was receiving from Ryou. “You was born with half a soul, destined to find the missing part of you – but you can still function on your own because that's always how you have been. I came into this world with an entirely whole soul which got split in two, so I am always half empty – I am never complete on my own. In a way, the bond between Marik and I is even stronger than yours because the two halves know each other – they yearn to fuse once again.” I took in a breath and studied the surprised look on Yugi's face. “I know that you cannot be apart from your yami for a long time, but you can for a while. I can't. Betraying him like that would mean that he would eventually be gone.”

 

“Exactly – he would be gone.” Even Yami gaped at Yugi in shock when he said that – how could he be so damn heartless when he had a yami himself?

 

“What's your problem? He just explained why he can't help – get off his case.” It was just after Joey spoke that a high-pitched, bouncy tune played throughout the room, making us all jump and breaking the mounding tension. What the...? That was my phone! 

 

I reached into my pocket and stared at it in wonder. I hadn't even realised that I still had it – no, I was sure I didn't have it. Marik had taken it after the final duel, as well as everyone else's, to stop contact with the outside world. How had I gotten it back? The caller was not listed under my known contacts, so I had to answer it to find out. “Hello?” I was well aware that everyone else was waiting in tender hooks to see who it was. 

 

“Malik – brother, how are you?”

 

“Ishizu!” Oh Ra, it felt good to hear her voice again. I hadn't even realised how much I had missed her...how bad a brother am I? I had forgotten about my only sister – the one person that I should have been protecting. I began talking to her in Arabic, which we had grown up speaking. “What has happened? Where has he kept you all this time?”

 

“Hush, brother, I am fine. Myself and Odeon are no longer on board. Marik sent us away from there so we wouldn't interrupt his rule over you.”

 

“Over me? What do you mean?”

 

“His one way of keeping control is to keep your shared soul intact. Malik, please be careful – he will use you.”

 

How dare she say something like that about him – she wasn't even here to witness what was going on. “Why call me now, after all this time?” I was well aware of my change in tone – as were the others in the room.

 

“I have only recently managed to convince him to allow us to speak. He agreed to give you a mobile phone so we could talk.”

 

So that's where it come from – Marik must have slipped it into my pocket. “Okay...but you don't need to warn me – I know what I'm doing.”

 

“And just what _are_ you doing, brother?”

 

“...” What was I doing? Did I just expect this to be my life from now on? I had somehow not considered the future – I was too focussed on now – and that was not a smart thing to do. “I'm...I can't discuss it right now – there are too many people around.” I'm such a wimp – I can't even tell my own sister how messed up my life was becoming.

 

“I see...” She knew I was lying...damn, I hated how intuitive she was. “I must go now, brother – I will see you soon.” With that, she hung up, leaving me stunned. I would see her soon? How?

 

Seto was the first to speak up into the thick silence that followed. “Can you not see her?”

 

I shook my head – I knew he couldn't understand what I had been saying, but he had obviously heard me say her name. “They aren't on the blimp – Marik sent them away so I couldn't see them.” I didn't even meet his gaze.

 

He was about to say something back – probably to slander Marik and say that he had no right to keep me away from my sister or something – when the door burst open, revealing the man himself. It was the earliest in the day that he had appeared and that fact alone made me wonder, once again, what he did during the day. 

 

I think I froze when he spoke – he used that tone he used when he was angry. “Malik – we need to talk. Now.”

 

About what? What had I done? I instantly made my way towards him, only to find Seto's hand curled around my wrist. “If you hurt him, you'll have a lot to answer for.”

 

Oh Ra...he just threatened Marik! What was he thinking? My jaw fell as I looked between the two, battling it out with their stony expressions. 

 

Then Marik said something no one expected. “Thank you.” Seto fell silent as Marik shocked him with his words. “You took care of him when I lost control – thank you for that.”

 

I was dragged out of the room, leaving behind a stunned crowd of people staring after us. Marik had just given them a clear show that I meant something to him – surely they were going to use that against him...and I found myself afraid – scared that Marik was going to be taken from me.

 

I couldn't let that happen. No matter what.


	8. Chapter 8

He wasn't angry. Bemused was more the word – confused, mixed up, vulnerable; that's the way it seemed to me, at least. On the outside, he was heaving his chest and rubbing his temples, teeth grit in an attempt to soothe his temper. But I saw the wild look in his eyes in that brief moment when he looked at me directly – in that one instant, he unwillingly let me witness the battle going on behind the violet haze.

 

He had taken me to some unknown corridor, in front of a large metal doorway which split horizontally – it kind of reminded me of some high tech spy film that I once saw, with the doorways that zipped open when the main character placed his hand on a key panel. He paced back and forth, leaving me to gnaw my lip nervously, anxious to know what had pushed him into this state. Suddenly, he halted in front of me and sucked in a breath before turning to stare at me with a guarded expression. “So, your sister called you?”

 

I nodded slowly, wary of the tightness of his posture. “Yeah, she did.”

 

He blinked when I spoke, as if the noise woke him from a trance. He slapped his palm to his fist repetitively – not a violent gesture, just one of habit. His nose scrunched in annoyance when he noticed me chewing my thumbnail absent mindedly, but chose not to comment – we both had habits that drove each other nuts, even before all this madness, when we shared a body and made each other carry out such urges. He clicked his teeth together, looking towards the metal spy door before flicking back to me. “And?”

 

I raised my eyebrows questioningly, keeping my thumbnail firmly between my teeth. “And what?”

 

“What did she say to you?” Are you kidding me?

 

I sighed and leaned back until my shoulders met solid wall. “Don't insult me, Marik – you heard every word.”

 

Marik rolled a shoulder back in acknowledgement, but did not look surprised that I knew he bugged the phone – how else would he soothe his paranoia? “Yes, I heard the words, but I asked what did she _say_? What was she telling you that she didn't want me to hear?”

 

Betray my sister or hide things from my lover? Rock and a hard place. Fuck. My. Life. Nothing about the conversation particularly hit me as a secret code or message that I should keep to myself, but with Ishizu you could never tell. I met his gaze steadily and relayed the only obvious suspicion that I could think of without somehow condemning my sister. “She said something about seeing me soon – I don't know what she meant by that.”

 

Marik kept his eyes on me for such a long time that I began to sweat, hoping against hope that he didn't see through my strange non-truth. I hadn't said anything particularly dishonest to him – I genuinely didn't know what she meant – but a weird little bubble of guilt began to form, making me squirm for no apparent reason. Eventually, he looked at that door and back to me again and nodded once. “She meant that I agreed to take you to see her. Once.”

 

Eh? “W-what?” I couldn't believe that he was saying this – that he would take me to her. That meant...“We're going off of the blimp?”

 

He nodded stiffly. “Briefly.”

 

“But...” My mind reeled – he had been so adamant about not landing the blimp for any reason that he even had food supplies delivered by helicopter. “Why land now? For this?”

 

Marik shook his head and glanced at the door again. “I don't need to land to leave – at least, I haven't so far. I'll extend that power to take you as well.”

 

So _that's_ where he went during the day! He left the blimp to...do whatever he needed to do. I bit the inside of my cheek and followed his gaze to the door, not noticing anything particularly intriguing about it, as Marik seemed to. “I really get to see her?” He nodded again, seeming not to trust his voice. I smiled and did the unthinkable – I pushed off of the wall I was leaning against and wrapped my arms around him, resting my head against his neck. “Thank you.”

 

He hesitated, like he couldn't believe that I would willingly touch him – to be honest, I was surprised myself, but I told the guy that I loved him and this was how you showed it, right? After a few seconds, I felt pressure around my waist as he hugged me back a little too tightly, his arms shifting every so often as though he was unsure where to put them – that thought made my stomach churn; was he so unused to affection that he didn't know what to do when hugging someone? He pressed his face into my hair and breathed in slowly.

 

There was a loud metallic grinding noise behind me, making Marik lift his head an inch or so and squeeze me tighter as he sighed. “It's time to go.” I went to pull out of the embrace to see what the noise was, only to be pulled back to his chest, his hand on my face in gentle restriction, disguised as a caress. So this was how it would be – he loved me, yet did not trust me enough to see the way out.

 

Warmth began to envelope us as he walked us – backwards for me – towards the noise. I recognised it instantly as the power of the Pharaoh, though admittedly, I'd not experienced it in such a way – he had only ever used it around me to command respect or in other, less PG, ways. Soon, my eyelids became heavy and I found myself slumped against his larger frame, unable to carry my own weight – he scooped me in his arms and looked down at me with an unreadable expression. Before I realised what was happening, it was lights out...

 

* * *

 

The left side of my body burned. My natural instinct, of course, was to roll away from that intense heat, but I found myself unable to move, still enslaved in that realm of half-sleep. 

 

“My brother will not be your puppet, Marik.”

 

“I have no intention in making him my puppet. You seem to be guessing at my plans before you even have any evidence in your assumption's favour.”

 

“I have all the evidence I need: you have my brother keeping things from me; you are preventing anyone from getting close to him without you being able to observe the interaction and you have instilled a rose-tint view of yourself within him. Tell me, have you any evidence in the contrary?”

 

“You know as well as I do that I cannot force him into anything – his actions are his own and any observations which I make are only possible by chance. The cameras have always been there – I just take advantage of that fact.”

 

“The bugging of the phone?”

 

“He told you?”

 

“No, I guessed. He is keeping things from me remember?”

 

There was a harsh laugh and scraping of a chair – I had woken fully by now, but remained still, intrigued by this conversation; Marik couldn't control me? That was news to me. “I knew you would say something to him that you did not wish me to hear. It seems that he does not wish to divulge any hidden meanings with me.”

 

It was Ishizu's turn to laugh. “That really panics you, doesn't it? The idea that he doesn't trust you to know something.” There was a pregnant silence after that – an unspoken acknowledgement at what she had said.

 

Eventually, Marik spoke in a quiet – warning – voice. “So you did try to tell him something.”

 

“No, not him. Malik would never decipher that message himself. I was trying to say something to you.”

 

“Oh? And what was you trying to say?”

 

Another brief pause. “Your rule is coming to an end. My brother will not be used by you for much longer.”

 

A growl. “Is that so? And tell me, priestess, how are you so sure without your Millennium necklace?”

 

“I do not need any necklace to show me your downfall.”

 

There was another scraping noise and heavy footfalls – my breath hitched, praying that he wouldn't hurt her. Suddenly, a shadow fell across my face, which had been bathed in that hot orange glow previously. Cautiously, I opened my eyes to find Marik standing above me, hand hovering inches above my cheek. “You're awake.” His eyes gleamed as he looked down at me – he wanted to know how much I had heard.

 

My mind whirred, trying to get my thoughts into order – I didn't know what to make of that conversation, so I didn't know whether or not it was worth the risk of lying to him. What I had learned: Marik couldn't control me; it panicked him to think that I didn't trust him – possibly because I may be hiding something; he and Ishizu evidently communicated often for her to be so able to talk to him the way she did and my sister believed that Marik was about to be dethroned – but I agreed with Marik on that front, when he said that she couldn't be sure without her necklace. So far, it didn't seem a good idea to let him know that I had been listening in. “Hmm...yeah.” I rubbed my eyes and faked a yawn – acting sleepy appeared to be my best option. When I opened my eyes again, I glanced around the room, noting that I had been lying on a thick rug on the floor beside a roaring fire in a very plain looking room, furnished with only the rug, fireplace, a scrubbed wooden table and two chairs. I forced a gasp when I saw Ishizu sitting in one of those chairs and heaved myself onto my feet, wobbling slightly as I rushed over to her and hugged her tight. “Ishizu!”

 

“Brother!” She held me close, sighing with relief into my hair. I pulled out of the hug and allowed her to hold me at arms length as she scrutinised my appearance. She cast her eyes as the fading bruises and gashes on my face, face like thunder as she shot a poisonous look at Marik, knowing exactly what must have happened. Turning back to me, she tutted and gestured my body. “You're thin – too thin.”

 

I was? Actually...now that I thought about it, the last full meal I ate was several days ago and I had been surviving on handfuls of snacks that I happened to come across every so often. Eating hadn't been a priority for a while. But I didn't want her to worry – I was sure that she had more pressing things to occupy her mind. “You're imagining things, sister. I've always been skinny.”

 

“Never like this.” She frowned at me but dropped it as I pulled away from her and took the other chair in the room. Ishizu folded her hands on the table and steadied her gaze on me. “Marik, I believe we agreed that I could talk to him alone.”

 

I looked over at Marik, trying to catch his eye, but he just grunted and headed towards the door without so much as a glance at me. “Twenty minutes. Then we leave.” And then he was gone.

 

“What is he making you do?” Ishizu got straight to the point, clasping my hands between her own, urging me to speak.

 

“Making me?” I shook my head, unsure of what she meant. “He isn't making me do anything.”

 

She squeezed my hands tighter, eyes shining desperately. “I don't mean 'making' as in forcing you with his power. I mean, what is he seducing you into?”

 

Seducing? Shit...she knew we were sleeping together. Fuck...Um...Wait – he wasn't asking me to do anything. There's no need to be nervous. “Nothing, Ishizu.”

 

“So you have not began to conspire against your friends? You have not forgotten the chaos he is causing in the outside world? You have not dedicated yourself to him?” 

 

...yes, I had. I had thought about protecting him from the others no matter what. I had not thought of anything that was going on outside the blimp. I told him that I loved him. That didn't mean that he had been influencing me in any way...right? “I...” Yes, it did mean that. “I...” Her expression was so _knowing_. “I...” Fuck...she was right. She leaned forward and brushed away a tear that I didn't know had fallen while I stuttered. There was no hiding now. When I finally was able to talk, it was barely above a whisper. “I didn't realise...”

 

She nodded, smiling bitterly. “As I thought.” Leaning back in her chair, she nodded towards the only window in the room. “Take a look at his 'kingdom'.”

 

I stood slowly – terrified at what I would see – and approached said window as though it were armed. My fingers closed around the ledge, allowing myself to take a deep breath before the plunge, and pulled myself forward to see – nothing. Nothing other than an empty ally way, grey and wet with the downpour of heavy rain, strewn with litter and broken glass. “What am I supposed to see?”

 

“Be patient.”

 

I pursed my lips and leaned further forward, so my face was so close to the pane that my breath misted the glass. The ally remained empty – only a small bird flew across the length and landed on a ledge opposite the one I stood at. It ruffled its feathers against the drip or the rain and flew down again, leaving the space completely. It was then that I heard a murmur from far below, coming from a darkly dressed man walking slowly across the debris, whistling a cheerful tune. I opened the window a little and leaned out to get a better view – the man looked up at the noise of the rain pounding against the newly angled glass and grinned when he saw me, waving politely. “Terrible weather, isn't it?” I nodded numbly and he carried on his trek, disappearing down the opposite end.

 

I turned back to my sister who had not changed her expression. “Keep looking, Malik.”

 

Confused, I turned back. Hey, there was that bird again! I knew because it had the same white tips on its feathers, which it was now ruffling against the rain. Did it not learn before? Just like the other time, it decided that it wasn't sheltered enough on that spot and flew down and out of the ally. I hung out of the window, scanning the place. What was I supposed to see? “Ishizu, I don't think...” Whistling. My head snapped towards the sound and saw the same darkly dressed man slowly make his way down the ally – from the opposite end that he had just been. He stopped halfway down and looked up at me. “Terrible weather, isn't it?” And carried on his trek.

 

“Ishizu...what...?” That bird – _that bird_ – flew across the space and landed on the opposite ledge and began to ruffle its feathers before swooping down and leaving. “What's...?” Whistling. I scurried back from the window and gaped at my sister, who had a solemn expression. 

 

A voice floated through the open window. “Terrible weather, isn't it?” I ran forward and slammed the window shut. “What was that?”

 

Ishizu shook her head and motioned the chair I had vacated and didn't speak until I was seated, breathing harshly. “That was what happens to those who are controlled by Marik. Not everyone is like that, but those who matter and can make a change are. That man you saw there was the president of a large multi-national corporation. Marik uses him to influence anyone who that man has control over.”

 

That didn't make any sense. “But...how can he influence anyone if he's on a continuous loop?”

 

“Oh, he's not always there – today's a bank holiday, so he walks down the ally to keep him occupied until he can be useful.”

 

I couldn't breathe. That man was effectively dead – no free will; just a shell, used for power and nothing more. Marik...Marik couldn't...he could. I knew he could. “W-what...um...who else?”

 

Ishizu gave me a piercing stare. “You knew that he controlled the leaders – _all_ leaders, big and small. This is how.”

 

I felt sick. How many leaders – how many people – had been forced into this shell-like state, no better than death? How many lives had Marik taken? And I was helping him by loving him. I allowed him to keep his soul as one – I allowed him to have the power to do this. But...how can I not? How can I just stop loving him, even to stop this from continuing. I knew what he was all this time and it never bothered me until I saw it myself. “I...”

 

“It's time to go.” There he stood, face blank, fist clasping the doorknob so tight that his knuckles were white. 

 

Ishizu swept across the table and bent low to hug me. Her mouth was close to my ear, so I heard the almost inaudible whisper. “Do the right thing, brother.”

 

* * *

 

Instead of heading back to the blimp, Marik lead me to a sleek black car and drove us down the deserted roads of the city – a city I had never been to. We rode in silence as he pressed his foot harder and harder to the acceleration, making us fly through the streets at a breakneck pace.

 

We screeched to a halt outside a huge hotel, all white and lit up with fancy lights – clear, even from the outside, that it was five star. I was dragged past reception – no one even glanced our way – and into an elevator where he pressed his hand to a black panel above the buttons, making it light up and spell out the word ' _Penthouse_ '.

 

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

 

As soon as the door opened, Marik pulled me out and slammed me against the closest wall, crushing our lips together, wasting no time in introducing tongue. His hands were on my face, holding me close – it was all I could do to grip his T-shirt at the front for dear life. Pressing closer and closer, he kissed me with a desperation that I had never witnessed in him before – eyes clenched closed, breathing harsh. 

 

Silence pressed all around us as he pulled back, trembling and looking so panicked that my breath caught. “Please.” His voice was harsh, ripping into the quietness. “Please don't leave me – don't go.” He pressed his forehead to my own, holding my wide eyes with his own wild ones. “Don't go.”


	9. Chapter 9

Such extremes waged war inside me – I hated him for what he had done, what he continued to do, and at the same time...I loved him; I loved him so much that I could burst. How fucking twisted am I? I knew that he was a murderer in every meaning of the word and that he would never stop – and that I could stop him... _by just not loving him_. But that would involve separating our souls completely...and I just couldn't let him go. I couldn't do nothing – but what _could_ I do?

 

“...don't go, Malik. _Please_.” I could feel his shaky breath on my face, only half aware that mine was not any better. I didn't even realise that he was crying until I felt a drip on my cheek. 

 

“I...” I unclenched my grip on the front of his shirt and brought my hands to his neck, slowly caressing his skin with my fingertips, travelling upwards progressively until the soothing touches traced the wet tracks backwards before brushing the tears away completely. “Marik.” He continued to whimper his pleading mantra. “Marik, listen to me.” I looked him directly in the eyes and spoke without pause or hesitation – complete conviction. “I will not leave you, Marik – not ever.” I love you too fucking much.

 

His grip around my waist tightened as he buried his face in my neck, breathing in deeply, trying to relax – trying to believe me. I soon found one of his hands on the back of my neck, the other remaining on the small of my back, as he pulled me even closer. I could feel his heart beat through my shirt. Somehow, we were now on the sofa – despite me not having realised that we had moved – with me straddling his lap. “But...I heard what she said to you...well, showed you.” He started to lean back from my neck, but seemed to change his mind and pressed his face back where it came from. “You saw what I've done.”

 

He knew it was wrong...“Yeah...I did.” _I'm doing this all because you wanted it. It's, like, programmed into me. You wanted this power so much, to spite the Pharaoh that caused you to be locked up, that I was born. It's in my nature and I'm not going to be able to stop, so please don't ask me. It's...programmed into my being. Asking me not to go after this power, to not be cruel, would be like asking me not to breathe, not to eat. I don't know. I just am certain that I can't stop._ That conversation we had all those days ago was making more and more sense with every second that I was close to him. _I...just wanted you to know...it's not me. I don't want this. But I have to do it._ He'd said it himself – he didn't want this. I laced my fingers behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss, soft and submissive – filled with promise: I would never leave him. 

 

That was the first time I would have described the act as making love – because that was exactly what it was. It wasn't a race to a climax, nor a frenzy full of lust – just intimacy in its purest form. He moved in me, slow and deep, as we kissed, just to feel that I was really there. His hands touched every place they could, worshipping every part of me as I rocked above him, lost in the passion. Emotions filtered through my thoughts about everything that surrounded us – what it would mean to truly be together like this; what it would mean for us to be happy.

 

I made up my mind.

 

* * *

 

The room was dark when I entered it, lit only by the twinkle of a hundred red standby lights spanning the void of a wall in front of me. My hand scrambled blindly along the wall, finding the switch after only a few seconds. Light flooded the space, illuminating many blank televisions and the control panel in the centre of the room, which I approached silently.

 

My eyes scanned the buttons, finding the one to Marik and I's bedroom and pressing it. One of the screens lit up, but it was white and fuzzy and a red symbol down the bottom indicated that the audio was out. That was comforting – Marik respected my privacy enough to disable the camera. I nodded to myself and found all of the other buttons I needed – the cameras in the throne room, hallways, elevators and the others' cell. 

 

I manually made each one loop what they were currently showing – all but the ones to the cell. Those had already been disabled by Seto...except one. “What?” I frowned and looked closely at the screen – it showed a birds-eye view of the room and the symbol at the bottom informed me that audio was available if I wanted to listen in. That was weird...there was never a camera there whenever I had been in that room...The screen that it linked to was separate from the others, marring the symmetrical set up of the others. Marik must have installed it himself – that would explain why Seto didn't know anything about it. Either way, there was too much activity of people walking past it to loop it, as I had the others, without making it obvious.

 

Sighing, I grabbed one of the portable screens that lay flat in the palm of my hand and linked up the transmission with Screen #101 before sliding it into my pocket. I memorised the route I had made between the cell and the bedroom and turned the screens back off, flipped the light switch and left the room.

 

The trek from the camera room and the other's cell was not a long one, but my heart hammered in my ears all the way and guilt swirled in my stomach. Still, I had to do this.

 

“Malik!” Ryou smiled in relief and ran forward to hug me. “You're okay! I thought it would happen again! What did he do to you?”

 

I pressed a finger to my lips and pulled the hand-held device out of my pocket, watching the view of the screen as I walked slowly around the room. “Nothing happened, Ryou. He just wanted to talk to me.” I wasn't in view of the camera when I stood in the place I thought it would be. Frowning, I carried on padding around.

 

I had gotten the attention of everyone in the room by this point, all of them staring at me like I had lost my mind. “Malik, what are you...?”

 

My finger flew up to my lips, giving Ryou a serious look, pleading him to just go along with it. “Trust me, Ry – I'm fine.” Aha! Joey was in the screen! I looked around and found the blond about a meter away, to my left. I motioned him to move away, to which he complied without complaint, albeit with confusion.

 

Approaching the space slowly, I stuck my foot out in front of me, waiting until my toe appeared in the screen. I nodded to myself again and pulled out a playing card – one of the ones Marik had been playing with a few days ago, but I tried not to think about that – and threw it gently. It appeared slightly to the left of the screen. I pulled out another and threw it a little right of the other. This time it appeared dead centre.

 

Pocketing the device, I looked up and the silver panel directly above the second card. It didn't look particularly different from the others, but the longer I looked the more I saw. The room was silent as I walked into the space, faking a yawn and stretching my arms over my head. Quickly, I jabbed my hand upwards and grabbed the minuscule spot of black, pulling it downwards and ripping the wires that protruded from the back of it. I twisted it off completely and glanced at the screen again – it had turned white and showed that there was no audio available. 

 

I grinned and held it up towards Seto. “You missed one.”

 

He gaped at the tiny camera in my hand and shook his head disbelievingly. “But...I know the plans of the blimp...”

 

“Yeah, this is one of his.” I shrugged my shoulders and threw it aside, dropping down into one of the chairs in the room. “I don't know how long it's been there because I only noticed it a few minutes ago when I was in the camera room. I doubt it's been there long, otherwise he would have reacted to your plans to escape by now.”

 

Bakura crossed his arms and frowned. Oh, what's your problem _now_? “If that's true then how did he get it in here without us seeing him?” 

 

I raised my eyebrow at him and saw that everyone else seemed to be wondering the same thing. “Do you really underestimate his powers that much?”

 

Bakura smirked and shrugged with one shoulder. “I guess I do.”

 

I sigh and think back to last night, remembering how none of the hotel employees even looked Marik and I's way as we walked through the lobby. “He can get past people without them noticing whenever he wants.”

 

Yami's eyes grew wide and he glanced around the room quickly. “What? So he could be here now?” 

 

I rolled my shoulders. “He could be, but he's not. He goes off the blimp during the day.”

 

“How?” Seto's question was less Spanish-Inquisition than the others were, but there was definitely a pressing need for an answer in his voice. “We never land.”

 

I nod. “Yeah, he doesn't need to land to leave – I only know that because he took me with him yesterday to see my sister. The outside world...it's...” The images of what I saw flashed through my mind – though they weren't particularly traumatic at face value, I knew what that man had become. What so many people had become. I bit my lip and stared at my lap. “They...everyone...” I look back up. “We need to stop him.” I knew I was crying. I let them assume it was from the horror of what the world had become...but it was because I knew there was no backing out. I was going to betray him.

 

Even Bakura looked taken aback. “What?” He leaned in a little closer. “What's going on out there?”

 

I shook my head. I knew they wouldn't be able to fully grasp it without seeing it. After all, all I really saw was a man repeatedly walk down an ally – but the implications of that was so much more horrific. I took a deep breath and met his eyes. “We need to stop him.”

 

His eyes widened a little – he understood how hard it was for me to do this to the other half of my soul. He nodded and clenched his knuckles until the skin stretched across the bone thin enough to turn white. “What do you want us to do?”

 

* * *

 

Bakura, Yami, Seto and Joey followed behind me as I carefully lead the way down the route I'd cleared earlier. We progressed slowly – with me going first around corners, just in case Marik appeared all of a sudden. 

 

We made it all the way to the first set of elevators without incident and just stood around the edges of the space in tense silence, relaying the plan in our heads. Okay...phase 1, complete – we got past the first leg of the journey...just to get across the next stretch of hallways, up the second set of elevators and then...into the sanctum. 

 

Of course, our good luck didn't last long. Just as I turned the last corner – the metallic shine on the last elevator in sight – I stopped in my tracks, heart hammering hard in my chest. “M-Marik.” The others froze for a second in shock before retreating a few steps away from sight. Marik looked up from his position of leaning against a nearby wall, my voice obviously breaking through his reverie. Now...how could I approach this? I had to act as I naturally would with him...but the others could hear every word. “What are you doing back so early?” 

 

He frowned and wilted a bit – maybe that came out a little harsher than I intended it to be. I was nervous, damn it! “Is it a crime to want to see you?”

 

I could practically hear the bewildered looks I was getting from the others. Ignoring them, I smiled apologetically and made my slow, casual way towards him. “Of course not – I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be harsh. You surprised me, is all.”

 

He nodded and kneaded his fist into his palm, looking away again. “I saw you was out of the room...I thought it would be best to wait here rather than go get you.” Somewhere along the line, our conversation had slipped into Arabic. Good – the others won't understand what we say.

 

I stood in front of him awkwardly, well aware that we had company – I had to distract him well enough for them to get past...they would have to go it alone from there. “Hey.” I lean into him and use my hands to pull his face up to meet mine. “It's okay – you don't have to tiptoe around me.”

 

He offers me a small smile and pushes up from the wall. “Try something with me.” I frowned and walked backwards into the centre of the space, stealing a quick glance towards where the others were to make sure they were still out of sight. He soon had one hand on my hip and the other holding one of my own.

 

I laughed at the idea, hoping it didn't sound too forced. “You want to dance?” I glanced around mockingly. “There's no music.”

 

He smiled again, small and sweet, and just shook his head as he lead me into a slow sway on the spot. “Just close your eyes.”

 

“You first.” As soon as he did I pressed closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder and met the gaze of Seto, who was looking at us with raised eyebrows. I ignored his curiosity and darted my eyes to the elevator and back, indicating that they should take this chance. 

 

All four of them stared intently at us as they passed, silent as they could, while I tried to guide our dance in a slow circle, rotating Marik to face away from them as we moved. A song reverberated around us, encasing our revolving circle with a tune from my childhood...from our childhood, I should say. Was he humming it? I didn't know. Maybe he drew from the power of the Pharaoh to play it.

 

I held my breath as our circle got to the point where he was facing directly where they would be, but his eyes remained shut, savouring this moment. That thought made my chest hurt. A lot. There he was, enjoying my company and silently opening up to me and I...I was taking him down. I pulled him closer and turned my head, pressing my lips to the side of his neck. “I love you.” I tensed as he spoke, only relaxing again once I remembered that the others couldn't understand Arabic. 

 

I sighed against his skin and closed my eyes. “I love you, too.” When I opened my eyes, I found myself looking over his shoulder at a frantically waving Joey. He pointed at the elevator and then to Marik, then to his own ears. I tilted my head in acknowledgement and racked my brains for an idea of how to distract Marik from the noise. Well...racked my brains for something other than the obvious...damn. I leaned back from his embrace and bit my lower lip, eyes half lidded...attempting seduction, I guess. “Marik...”

 

He just laughed and rolled his eyes. “What are you up to?”

 

I shook my head. “Is it a crime to want you?” I winked, lightly joking about his earlier question. 

 

His face lit up with such joy before he kissed me that I nearly burst out into tears – I was tricking him...and all he knew was that I genuinely wanted to be with him – which wasn't a lie, but it was all so much more complicated than that. My back met a wall as I brought my hands up to his hair, panting and moaning into his mouth as loud as I could without making him suspicious. I didn't risk looking to see if they'd left for the upper levels – this was a private moment between us, despite the circumstances, and if it was the only grace I could grant him, I would let him have me now without my split attention. 

 

He didn't try to take it further than that passionate kiss, just held me tighter and tighter. It started to hurt. “Marik...?” He ignored me and crushed his lips to mine again, growling slightly...but...they weren't like any kind of sound he'd made before. His nails dug into my skin, making me cry out and whip my head back, eyes clenched shut. “Marik, stop – it hurts!”

 

His growls grew into groans of pain. My eyes snapped open to see his face scrunched in agony while he gripped me for support. “...thank...you...” I just stood there in shock...what was going on?

 

“W-what?”

 

He forced one eye open and smiled through whatever he was suffering. “...thank...you...for...stopping...me.”

 

Suddenly, the whole room shook violently and the sound of screeching metal assaulted my eardrums. I screamed as he fell forward, limp and lifeless, landing heavily against me and pinning my body to the wall. “Marik?” A hot, wet sensation trickled down my front as I called to him frantically. “Marik! Wake up!”

 

A sudden jolt sent us tumbling to the floor and I landed on his chest, reeling from the suddenness of events – was we crashing? That wasn't possible, though – Marik's powers kept us in the air without a pilot. Unless...I gasped as I realised what must have happened – the others had done it. To be honest, I expected it not to work – I mean, you have to win the cards and items to gain ownership...it was only a hunch of mine that it would be considered a win to sneak past his defences with success. That and the fact that between them, Yami, Bakura and Seto were the owners to all seven items before Marik won them.

 

I shook those thoughts out of my head and choked back a sob when I saw Marik's unconscious face...drenched in blood? In a hurry, I checked he was still breathing and sat him up – fighting against the violent tremors of the blimp – holding him there and speaking to him desperately. “Come on, Marik – you have to wake up. We're crashing, Marik. Wake up so we can get under cover. _Please, Marik_.” My voice shook uncontrollably. 

 

Screams resounded from the lower levels, but I heard none of them – I could only focus on him. A huge _boom_ roared in my ears before the room shook quicker than before, throwing us around like rag dolls. I was screaming, I think – I don't really remember. My head slammed into a wall with the force of both mine and Marik's full body weight behind it.

 

And the world turned black...

 

* * *

 

It was still and silent, apart from the occasional crackle of what I assumed was broken electrical cables. My head pounded and agony lashed through my body when I tried to move. So, this was it...the end of Marik's domain. A crash-landed blimp and a slow, painful death to those on board. A complete wipe-out of any evidence that it happened. After all, the only people that were truly aware of anything were those of us on board, Ishizu, Odeon and those few suspicious people who were made quick work of. He would be wiped from history...

 

I didn't notice when I began to cry out loud, but I wouldn't have cared – no one was around to hear me. Everything hurt so much physically, but emotionally...I was numb, in spite of my tears. My mind couldn't process the idea that they were dead; Ryou, Seto, Bakura, Joey, Yami...Marik...so many others...Marik...Marik.

 

“Malik!” A voice called from far away. That word seemed familiar...oh, right – that was my name! I tried to make a noise back, but my sobs stopped me from doing so. So, not everyone was dead. “I think I heard something over there!” Metallic scrapes grew closer and closer before a heavy weight was lifted off my chest and someone gasped. “Oh, God! Malik! Wake up!” 

 

Wake up? I already was...oh wait. I peeled my eyes open to see a blurry angel standing above me, his wings folded backwards, shining the brightest white, and the light of his halo casting his face into shadow. “You're okay! Oh, Malik!” When angel dropped to his knees, the light surrounding him dimmed instantly. Oh, wait...I blinked slowly and let the world come into focus. The angel turned out to be Ryou – his folded back wings being his hair and his halo had appeared when he stood in front of the setting sun, which could now be seen clearly through a gaping hole in the thick metal wall. 

 

I frowned and started to sit up, being stopped by...Seto? He was here too? “No, Malik – you're really hurt.” No I wasn't – I was just a bit sore.

 

“Where's Marik?” I was surprised by the strength behind my voice and stared as hard as I could into Seto's eyes. 

 

Seto furrowed his eyebrows. “It's over, Malik – we did it. After we gained ownership over the cards and items, the blimp suddenly started to crash. It was lucky we weren't flying anywhere near civilisation, but we hit a mountain range.” He bit his lip, looking away briefly. “Everyone that were on the lowest level are dead. It was lucky that everyone from the cell survived.”

 

I shook my head, ignoring the pain it caused. “Where is he?”

 

Seto's eyes filled with some kind of emotion that I couldn't understand in the state I was in. “He used the last of his power to...” He looked confused, annoyed, thankful? I didn't know – it was too complicated. “He saved us with whatever he had left. He allowed the blimp to land the best he could and then went to the duelling arena...to die.”

 

...die? “What?” That wasn't right...no...no...“No!” I pulled myself up again, this time ignoring Seto's protests and Ryou tears. “No!”

 

I didn't hear them call after me...I don't even think they followed me. I'm sure I should have been hurting – that it should have been hard to walk – but all I could focus on was Marik. Was he still alive? 

 

The blimp's structure had been twisted in such a way that the elevator shaft lay almost horizontal, peeled open enough for me to crawl into. I picked my way past sizzling cables and piles of debris, fighting to get to him...on time, hopefully. 

 

Time passed like sand in an hourglass – it was running out and it was I could do to force my abused body towards that stunning light at the end of the tunnel. I reached the outside world and stared around in panic – where _was_ he?

 

I cried in relief when I saw him sitting against the duel arena wall, awake and watching me approach – a look of peace glazed his features. “Malik.”

 

I stumbled to him, falling before I could get there as my injuries caught up with me. He reached his hands as far as he could towards me, brushing my outstretched fingers. I crawled painfully nearer, close enough for him to catch hold of me and pull me forward. I lay in his lap, catching my breath, for well over ten minutes – he just sat there, allowing me some time. I choked around the air I was breathing, guilt beating against me – I'd betrayed him and he still accepted me! “I couldn't let you do it, Marik...I couldn't.” My voice was thick with emotion, shaking from tears. 

 

His hand caressed my hair gently as he spoke softly. “I know.”

 

“Marik...Marik...” I clawed against his body, trying to turn and look him in the eyes. “Don't die...please don't die.”

 

He just smiled. “I have to.”

 

My chest tightened, my breath wouldn't come. “N-no! No!” I knew I was hysterical, but that small, accepting smile told me that he wasn't fighting against his fate. “Marik, _please_.”

 

“You can go...you're free.” A small flicker of reluctance flashed across his features when he said that. It only lasted a moment, but I latched on to it desperately.

 

I shook my head and gripped handfuls of his tattered, bloody shirt, begging him. “No! Let me stay! Please...” I leaned up and kissed his unresponsive lips. “I told you I wouldn't leave you.”

 

That brought him to life a little. “But...you can go.”

 

I shook my head, holding him tighter. “I don't want to – I love you!” I looked him directly in his beautiful violet eyes. “I said I won't leave you – that means that you can't leave me, too!”

 

His lips parted in surprise as silent tears ran down his face – I felt it too; I felt lighter, better than ever before. Like everything had suddenly righted itself. Nothing in the world could contend with this feeling and we had achieved it after so long. “I won't...ever.”

 

Nothing would ever take me away from him again. We were complete.


End file.
